


Ghosts in the Sun

by ZTX



Category: Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (Album), DangerWho, Doctor Who
Genre: 1940s, 2019, Gen, Time Travel, World War II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-26
Updated: 2014-03-26
Packaged: 2017-12-16 05:38:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 70,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/858465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZTX/pseuds/ZTX
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor encounters the Killjoys when the TARDIS crash lands in the zones of 2019 California, where he finds himself face to face with one of his most hated enemies…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own nor am I affiliated with Doctor Who, the BBC, or My Chemical Romance.
> 
> Note this was written before the release of the actual Killjoys comic and thusly will stray from comic canon.  
> If y'all are cool with that, than read on my friends. Read on.

**Prologue**  
  
     _ **New York City - 2012 - September**_  
  
    "I just have to blink, right?"  
He felt his stomach drop as he gazed at her; the wind gently playing with her long, ginger hair. What was she thinking?  
She couldn't be serious.  
"No!"  
"It'll be fine," she swallowed hard, keeping her eyes on the angel statue standing before her,  
"I-I-I know it will. I'll be with him....like I should be. Me and Rory....together."  
    "Stop it!! J-Just stop it," he shrieked, his hearts racing,  
"You are creating a fixed time. I will never be able to see you again!"  
"I'll be fine," she said calmly, her voice beginning to waver,  
"I'll be with him."  
"Amy, please! Just come back into the TARDIS."  
    She shook her head as a soft cry escaped her and swallowed hard, his voice desperately pleading,  
"Come along, Pond, please..."  
There was a moment of pause between them. Briefly, he thought that maybe, just maybe, she would do as he had asked.  
"Raggedy man," she began, clenching her fists at her sides.  
Turning to face him, a tear hit her cheek and she gasped...  
  
    "Goodbye....!"  
  
     _SEVEN YEARS LATER_  
  
     _ **California - 2019 - June**_  
  
   _'They wanna grip the cross, make cavities, adjust because it purely is a crime. We full-on fre--'_  
  
    A white, 1979 Pontiac Trans Am, smothered in graffiti and looking a tad worse for wear, came to a harsh stop in front of the remnants of what appeared to once be a house. Gravel and dust flew into the air as the tires came to a screeching halt and the driver stepped out; his fiery hair battering violently in the breeze as he nodded curiously to the run down hovel,  
" _That_ it?"  
From the back seat, a shorter man with shoulder-length, black hair climbed out; video camera in hand,  
"That's the one."  
    Two other men stepped out of the car; one in a bright red coat, the other donning an astronaut's helm. The latter of the two lifted his face mask, eyebrow raised as he turned to the dark-haired one,  
"What was it that was going on out here?"  
The man smiled as he gazed into the camera's viewfinder; the picture settling on the statue of an angel standing to the left of a neighbouring shed,  
"Some pretty, freaky shit...that's what _Go Go_ said, anyway."  
" _Really_ ," the fiery-headed one smirked, his eyes a light with intrigue,  
"What kind of _'freaky shit'_?"  
"I dunno. Why don't you ask _your mom_?"  
    The dark-haired man snickered as the other man's mouth dropped, pointing the camera at him as he placed a hand on his heart,  
" _Oh-ho_! Sir, I am _offended_!! You slander the _House of Milligram_ with your insinuation...!"  
The helmeted man laughed as well as their fiery-haired leader tossed him a flashlight,  
"Remind me to kick his ass later, Jet."  
"Sure thing, P."  
    The camera man snickered again and shook his head as they started toward the house,  
"Like you _could_..."  
"Can we please just hurry and get this over with," the man in the red jacket groaned, rolling his eyes,  
"We shouldn't even be here, anyway."  
" _Awww_ ," the red-head sighed, turning to him with a grin as he reached up and patted him on the cheek,  
"Does that stick in your ass _hurt_ , Kid?"  
    The other two snorted as the fiery-haired man continued, a devious smirk on his face,  
"How far up _is_ it, anyway? Maybe we can get some _tweezers_ and yank it out for you? A _pair o' pliers_ , perhaps? Just how _stuck_ is it--?"  
    "I'm serious," he snipped, slapping the juvenile man's hand away,  
"We're in Drac territory, Poison. If they find out we're here--"  
"We'll just _kill_ 'em," the man responded, pulling a blindingly yellow gun from the holster at his thigh and waved it around,  
"That's what we have _these_ for, remember?"  
    He then reached up and tousled the blonde man's hair and turned back to the other two; nodding to the building as he put his gun away,  
"Now, let's go, _ladies_. Time's a wastin'."  
As he marched toward the house, he tossed his flashlight into the air, turning it on it one swift motion,  
"Jet, you and the _sour puss_ hit the shed. Me and Ghoul'll take the shack."  
    Fun Ghoul snickered as the firey-haired man crossed into his viewfinder and called after him,  
"You _'shacking' up_ with me, now, Poison?"  
Party Poison grinned as he turned the knob and shoved the door open with a grunt; years of dust and dirt raining down on him as he stepped inside,  
"Oh, baby, you couldn't handle _shacking up_ with all a'this."  
He twirled and thrust his hips at the camera, Ghoul shaking his head as he laughed,  
"Get the fuck outta here."  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    "He's such a fucking child," Kobra Kid muttered angrily, turning to Jet Star as they reached the shed,  
"It's like everything is a game to him! One of these days, he's gonna get all of us killed."  
"Calm down," the helmeted man sighed, shaking his head as he opened the door,  
"He was just messing with you."  
"It just...since when did we become the _Ghostbusters_ , Jet," he growled, shaking his head as he shined his flashlight into the small space. In the corner, another angel statue stood, matching the one at the front door as it seemed to shield it's eyes from the light,  
"We shouldn't even be here. We've got more important things to do."  
    Sighing, he shook his head and stepped away from the shed, Jet sighing as he followed suit,  
"Kid, c'mon..."  
He paused briefly and glanced back at the statue in the shed, a scowl of confusion flashing across his face.  
The angel was staring at him, now....but hadn't it been covering its face before?  
Shaking his head, he hurried back toward the house after Kobra.  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    As they entered the living room, Party Poison let out a whistle and pointed his flashlight to the wall,  
"Check it out, man."  
Turning the camera at the direction his fiery-haired companion was pointing, Fun Ghoul shook his head and let out a sigh,  
"A _'Good Will Hunting'_ poster?"  
    "Hell, yeah, a _'Good Will Hunting'_ poster! It's a fucking classic!"  
Walking into the frame, Party Poison turned and motioned to the nearby sofa,  
"You think they'd miss it if I took it for the Diner?"  
He panned the camera over, the image settling on a dusty skeleton,  
"Probably not."  
    He took it down from the wall, and removed it from its frame; carefully folding it until it was small enough to fit in his pocket. Fun Ghoul shook his head as he turned for the hallway, a deep sigh escaping him,  
"I can't believe you're looting a _dead_ _person's_ house."  
"I can't believe you're _not_."  
They entered the hallway, splitting up to search the different rooms.  
"That's gonna come back to bite you in the ass, you know? Karma and all that shit."  
" _Please_ , there ain't no such thing...."  
    Shaking his head, Fun Ghoul sighed as he slowly pushed open the door to his right, the camera briefly catching a dark silhouette standing at the window before it glitched and shut off. He quickly glanced up, startled,  
"The fuck...?"  
He frowned. There was nothing there.  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    Party Poison raised an eyebrow as he reached the end of the hall and stepped into what appeared to have once been an office. Numerous papers and documents blanketed a rickety, aging desk and he stepped over to it, raising an eyebrow as he rummaged around and found an old photograph.  
It was of a group of men; soldiers from the looks of it.  
The uniforms were similar to those worn in World War II.  
    He frowned as he spotted a strikingly familiar face in the first row and turned the picture over. Written in faded pencil on the back was a name and a date.  
 _"Michael Milligram - June 6, 1944..."_  
His eyes widened as he read the name and he let out a startled breath,  
"Holy shit...."  
    Hearing the sound of distant rustling behind him, he straightened and spun around, hand on his raygun,  
"Ghoul?"  
Fun Ghoul poked his head out from the adjacent room, eyebrow raised curiously,  
"What?"  
    "Was that you in the hall a minute ago?"  
He shook his head, pulling the hair from his eyes, as he stepped out of the room,  
"No, dude, I was in there."  
Party Poison frowned as he walked out of the office and over to him, waving the photograph in his hand,  
"Oh....kay," he shook his head, "Check this shit out. I just found it."  
"Holy shit! Is that your grandpa? He looks just like you, dude!"  
"I know it's fuckin' weird. It's the first time I've seen his picture before."  
He frowned as his flashlight began to flicker then, and glanced down at it, giving it a strong whack,  
"The hell?"  
    "Oh, yeah," Fun Ghoul started, noting the way it was beginning to burn out,  
"Meant to ask you if you had a spare battery pack on you. My camera just blinked out."  
"The fuck," Party Poison exclaimed, shaking his head as he took the camera and handed Ghoul the flashlight,  
"I just charged the little shit! What the fuck do you mean, 'it's dead'!?"  
    He pressed the power button and the camera slowly whirred to life. Shaking his head, he handed it back to Fun Ghoul with a sigh,  
"It's fine."  
The dark-haired man frowned as he took it and raised the camera to look at Party Poison, letting out a gasp,  
"Holy shit!"  
    Poison spun around to look, eyes wide as he drew his gun,  
"What is it!?"  
"Your fucking face, dude," Fun Ghoul snickered, shaking his head as Poison turned back in the direction of the camera,  
"You are so fuckin' ugly. Oh my Gawd..."  
    Letting out a snort, Party Poison shook his head and slapped the camera away from his face,  
"You little bitch."  
He started passed Ghoul, frowning as he didn't follow. Turning back, he raised a curious eyebrow at the younger man,  
"Ghoul?"  
    Fun Ghoul continued to stare down the hallway, a deep frown on his face,  
"Hey, Poison....come here a sec."  
Frowning, he strolled back over to Fun Ghoul and glanced down the hall, his heart beginning to race slightly as the beam from his flashlight landed upon the statue of an angel.  
Fun Ghoul shook his head,  
"When did that statue get there?"  
They both frowned at each other; glancing down at the flashlight as it began to flicker again...  
      
    ~ø~  
  
    Upon entering the house, Kobra was met with the sound of raygun blasts, and quickly, he drew his from his jacket,  
"I fucking told you we shouldn't have--"  
He raised an eyebrow as he first spotted Fun Ghoul; eyes wide in a panic as he barrelled out of the darkened back of the house,  
"Dude, _run_!"  
"The fuck is going on," the blonde-haired man yelled, gun drawn,  
"Where's Poison!?"  
    Party Poison appeared then, firing numerous rounds into the hallway as he backtracked. Upon reaching Kobra, he grabbed him by the sleeve and dragged him out of the house running,  
"Go, go, go!!"  
Fun Ghoul and Jet Star were already waiting by the car as they made it outside; Party Poison motioning to them frantically,  
"Get in the fucking car! Hurry up!!"  
    "What the _hell_ is it," Kobra shouted as he climbed into the passenger's seat,  
"What the fuck's gotten in to you!?"  
The fiery-haired man glanced back at the house as he reached the driver's side door. The angel was now standing on the porch; it's hand extended toward him as it gazed blankly out of stone eyes.  
He swallowed hard, shaking his head as he quickly got in and started the car. The tires squealed and screeched as he pulled away, kicking up dust and dirt behind them. It clouded the angel from their view.  
Fun Ghoul gasped for air, shaking his head as he held the camera to his chest,  
"Jesus Christ....what the fuck was that?"  
    Party Poison glanced back in his rearview mirror as he pulled fast away from the house. As the dust settled down, he could see that the angel now stood in the middle of the road; a horrific scream plastered to it's marble face. He swallowed hard.  
  
 _'She said come on, come on, just spit casually. Come on, come on and fuck this whole wide world.'_


	2. Chapter 2

** Close Encounters **

    The distant sound of a telephone's ringing distracted him from the image of the young, Victorian woman he'd been looking at on his monitor. Jogging around the console, he quickly picked up the receiver upon the fourth ring and answered with a smile,  
"Hello? Oh, yes! Charlie, glad you could return my call! It's the Doctor. Heard you were having doubts about your latest venture..."  
    The Doctor flipped a few switches on the console as he rounded the circular platform,  
"Don't worry! It's going to turn out fine. You might want to bring somebody else on, though. Hart's not really all that reliable. Who? Well....have you considered asking Griffith? No? You might wanna do that...."  
He pulled a vibrantly coloured knob to his left; the TARDIS replying with a whine and a whirr,  
"Also, you might want to consider dropping the required amount of productions from 5 movies to 3...why? Because, Mr. Moneybags, not everyone can afford to star in and produce five pictures a year! And with the coming of sound...No, no, no, I don't think you're mad. I know mad when I see it and it's not you...."  
    He felt a strange shudder under his feet and frowned, marching back over to the console monitor,  
"Listen, I'll come by, we'll have tea, sort out the doubts in your head, then you and your cohorts can hammer out the details of your partnership, how's that sound?"  
He frowned as he looked up at the screen, his eyes widening. Beside the picture of the Victorian woman, a new window had appeared. It was flashing bright red.    
    "Hold that thought, Charlie, I'll have to call you back. I think I'm about to crash."  
He went to hang up the phone, confusion flashing across his face as he realised he was tangled in the phone cord. After numerous twirls and tugs, he managed to free himself and quickly grabbed the TARDIS controls. The ship continued to shake and jolt, and he could hear the sound of distant crackling through her whooshes and whails....

    '"GERONIMOOO~!!"'

    ~ø~

_**'Salutations! From a greater, northwest alley and...'** _

    "Any sign of the van, yet?"  
Kobra shook his head as he peered through a set of binoculars,  
"No....though, I could probably see a little better if you slowed the fuck down."  
"Oh, _I'm_ sorry," the fiery-haired man snapped, glancing over at him briefly,  
" _Who_ was it who wanted to get out of 'Drac territory' as fast they _fucking_ could?"  
    With a snarl, he gave Party Poison a fierce shove to the shoulder,  
"Fuck you. I wasn't the one who got the _piss_ scared out of 'em by a statue."  
"Fuck you, I _wasn't_ scared!"  
"Really? Your little girly squeals would say otherwise..."  
Party Poison growled at that, punching the younger man in his arm. Kobra punched back in retaliation and soon, a mini slap-fest broke out between them. From the back seat, Jet Star rolled his eyes as they continued throwing punches, swiftly kicking the back of their chairs,  
"Knock it off! Both of you!"  
    Poison scowled as he placed both hands on the wheel, muttering softly under his breath,  
" _He_ started it."  
" _You're_ the one who's driving too fucking fast! I can't see for shit!"  
"Then, open your fucking _eyes_!"  
Kobra shoved him again, scowling deeply,  
"Don't tell me what to _do_!"  
    Reaching over, Party Poison slapped him on the back of the head, and another tiff began. With a growl, Jet Star leaned forward and slammed both of his hands down on the shoulders of their seats,  
"HEY!"  
Both of them jumped as they glanced back at him, Kobra swallowing hard as their frizzy-haired fourth glared them down,  
"I said... STOP. IT."  
The blonde-haired man coughed shortly, and turned his gaze for the window,  
"Sorry, Jet."  
    "Yeah," Party Poison cleared his throat as he adjusted his hands on the wheel,  
"Sorry, Jet."  
There was a long, awkward moment of silence in the car, the fiery-haired man muttering softly to himself as he glanced at Kobra from the corner of his eye,  
" _Fuckface_."  
Kobra raised the binoculars back up to his eyes and let out a seething breath,  
" _Dickbag_."  
    Jet cleared his throat then, and the two shifted uncomfortably, both murmuring in unison,  
 _"Sorry, Jet."_  
 ** _'"When did that statue get there?"'_**  
Glancing over at Fun Ghoul, Jet Star raised an eyebrow and leaned over to watch the glitchy, tinny-sounding video he'd recorded earlier,  
"You're watching it, again? You're gonna give yourself nightmares, you know..."  
    Fun Ghoul sighed deeply, shaking his head as the video continued,  
"I don't get it, though. It doesn't make sense."  
The clip began to flicker, the lights going on and off as the angel statue seemed to move closer,  
"How does a statue fucking _move_ like that?"  
He turned, handing Jet Star the camera,  
"It's just...freaky."  
    "It was a _robot_ ," Party Poison grumbled from the front seat, switching gears as they turned onto an off road,  
"Had to be. Ain't no way a statue can move by itself."  
"Like a guard droid or something," Jet queried, watching the video some himself.  
"Yeah..."  
"It was probably pissed off about that poster you nabbed," Ghoul snickered, taking the camera back from Jet Star,  
"You and your Matt Damon _boner_..."  
    "Hey," Poison snapped, glancing back at him in the rearview mirror,  
"Matt Damon is the best goddamn actor in the whole fucking world, a'ight, and you'd be hard-fuckin'-pressed to tell me otherwise..."  
Kobra frowned as he heard a strange noise from outside of the car and glanced out of his window. He couldn't see anything immediate, but the sound was growing closer.  
Poison was still rambling; the other two beginning to snicker,  
".... _'don't fuck with me, Sean'_. God, I cried like a fuckin' baby--"  
    "Guys, shut up a minute!!"  
The four of them went silent; Party Poison raising an eyebrow as he heard the faintest sound of 'whooshing' in the distance. Kobra turned to him in confusion,  
"What is that?"  
Fun Ghoul snapped the camera shut and glanced out of the window, as did Jet Star. Neither of them could see anything that would produce the odd noise they were hearing.  
    Sliding back a bit in his seat, Party Poison grabbed his raygun and nodded to his blonde-haired compatriot,  
"Take the wheel. I'll check it out."  
"You'll what!? We're going 90--!!"  
"Just take the fucking wheel, I got this."  
    The car weaved violently as he let go and Kobra frantically reached to grab it,  
"Jesus...!"  
Leaning halfway out of the window, Poison aimed his gun at the direction of the sound. For a moment, he saw nothing save for the blinding light of the dying sun, beaming through fluffy, gray clouds. The sound was growing louder as he gazed at the sky; so close he could feel it vibrating in the car door.  
    Suddenly, with a loud crack, it burst through the clouds. Boxy in shape, it was near unidentifiable in the shadows of the sun. His eyes widened as he gazed at it; watching it spin out of control as it flew closer to them.  
"Well," Kid began, raising an eyebrow as he glanced up at the mirror,  
"You see anything?"  
    "Uh," Poison stammered, his mouth hanging open in shock.  
"'Uh' _what_ ," the blonde snapped, frowning as he moved his other hand to the wheel,  
"What do you see?"  
Poison raised an eyebrow as it drew ever nearer, and slowly he began to make out the words, ** _'Police Public Call Box'_**.  
He cocked his head to the side, confused,  
"....that's a _good_ question."  
    The rumbles grew louder and he could see the thing beginning to spark as it spun. It was barrelling straight for them.  
"Shit," he cursed, quickly throwing himself back in the car.  
Snatching the wheel back from Kobra, he stepped on the gas; Fun Ghoul quickly flipping the camera back on as he turned to look out of the back window.  
    Jet Star glanced back, his eyes widening as he watched the box spiral closer,  
"It's coming in fast, P!"  
Leaning across Kobra, he grabbed the younger man's seatbelt and fastened him in; giving the wheel a hard turn,  
"Hold on."  
The blonde quickly grabbed hold of the roof as he threw the car into a donut.  
    The car screeched as it spun, seemingly in slow motion; a cloud of dust exploding into the air. The box just barely missed them as it whirled past the front bumper, bouncing off the dusty, broken asphalt with a loud clang. Sparks flew as it soared back into the air, now completely horizontal as it plummetted a second time. It bounced away, clanging loudly as it went, plumes of dirt flying into the air as it rolled a few miles out into the desert.  
    The Trans Am came to a halt rather sharply, nearly rolling as it reached the edge of the road. It bounced as all four tires returned to the ground, and the group was silent as they heard the sound of a distant 'boom' that they could only assume had come from the strange box.  
Kobra swallowed hard, still holding onto the roof as he glanced out at the direction the boxy craft had fallen,  
"Did you see that....?"  
"Yeah..."  
    Poison coughed harshly, his heart pounding as he gazed down at the wheel and his bone-white knuckles,  
"That was some full on _'Smokey and the Bandit'_ shit, right there....!"  
Ghoul and Jet stared at him blankly as he began to laugh, looking on in disbelief as he leaned back in his seat and smacked the steering wheel in excitement. After a moment, he caught their stares and cleared his throat, wiping his nose as he regained composure,  
"Erm. Right you--uh....you meant the box.... _thing_."  
    He coughed again and opened his door, standing up to look at the horizon. A trail of smoke rose up from the sporadically grassy, desert scape, and he frowned; Fun Ghoul climbing out beside him with the camera,  
"What do you think it is, P?"  
The sun, already settling into the horizon, caught the smoke in it's amber hues; creating for an eerie atmosphere.  
"I dunno," the fiery-haired man began, his hazel eyes catching the light and making him look nearly mad as he turned to his cohorts,  
"Let's check that fucker out, shall we?"  
      
    ~ø~

    They followed the trail of broken shrubs and cacti for about four miles, the billowing smoke growing lighter in colour as night fell. Kobra frowned as they rounded a small, rocky hill; noting the square shape that had been carved out of the top. It was blackened with burns; likely from the sparks.  
"I don't like this, guys. We shouldn't be here...."  
"Don't be such a negative fuckin' Nancy," Poison quipped as the box came into view,  
"We're here."  
    Leaving the headlights on, Party Poison reached over and grabbed a flare from the glovebox.  
The four of them got out of the car; Ghoul filming the smoking box with his camera,  
"Holy shit...it's like something out of a Spielberg flick."  
They inched toward it cautiously, Poison holding up the flare for better light. The box lay on it's side, popping and fizzing as sparks shot out from it's doors.  
    Kobra coughed sharply, covering his mouth with a brightly coloured handkerchief from his pocket,  
"The air's pretty thick tonight...what was the _toxicity_ supposed to be, anyway?"  
"Only 20%," Ghoul replied, glancing between the viewfinder and the smoking box,  
"I checked before we got out of the car."  
    The words were lit up now, glowing as brightly a yellow as the smoke that billowed out from within the box. Jet Star shook his head as they approached it, his eyes wide in wonder,  
"What the hell is it...?"  
"I dunno," Poison began, taking out his gun with his free hand,  
"But I sure as hell ain't gettin' _probed_ , tonight...."  
    They stopped as they began to hear a loud creaking noise and the doors to the box flew open. A golden light, as well as a cloud of black smoke, began pouring out and they could hear the sounds of violent coughing from inside. As the cloud began to dissipate, a hand appeared on the edge of the opening and a tall, lanky man pulled himself up out of the box. He brushed himself off; glancing around with a wild smile,  
"Hello, _Hollywood_! And aren't we _beautiful_ tonigh-- hold on. No...this isn't Hollywood. This is a desert..."  
The four of them exchanged confused glances as the man continued to ramble, each of them slowly pulling out their guns,  
"....I must have crashed a few miles away," the man continued glancing around curiously as he climbed out of the box and jumped down,  
"The air's a bit thick here...that's strange. Oh well, no matter I suppose...I can always...."  
    He glanced up, spotting the four of them with a smile as he straightened the dusty bowtie at his neck,  
"Oh, hello! Sorry, didn't see you there. Could one of you point me in the direction of Hollywood? I'm due for tea with Charlie Chaplin in an hour."  
Swallowing hard, he stopped as he was immediately met by the barrels of their four brightly coloured guns and let out a sigh,  
"I take it that's a no."

_**'So fucking olllllllllld~! I'm so fucking alooooooooooooooone~!'** _


	3. Chapter 3

I'm The Doctor

The neon-haired man stared at him blankly; finger on the trigger of his blindingly yellow gun.  
Coughing shortly, the Doctor sighed; carefully raising his hands up, _  
_" _Clearly,_ we seem to be getting off on the _wrong_ foot."  
He reached into his pocket; the man tightening his grip as he shook his head,  
"Ah, ah, ah...! Not so fast _E.T.._."  
    The Doctor frowned as the armed man stepped closer; waving the gun a little too wildly as he spoke,  
"Keep your hands where I can see 'em."  
Sighing deeply, the Doctor followed the young man's instruction and kept his hands in the air,  
"Well, it's been sometime since I stared into the barrel of a gun...might I ask _why?"_  
    "Aside from the fact you almost _mowed us down_ with your," the fiery-haired man frowned, nodding to the phonebox,  
"Whatever that thing is...."  
The Doctor turned smiling as he glanced back at it,  
"What _that_? That's my TARDIS..... _oh!_ Oh, that was _you_ on the road, back there? _Nice_ donut! Very _Bo Darville_ of you..."  
The man with the yellow gun smirked at that; nodding with a laugh,  
"Thanks..."  
He then let out cough, noting that his three companions were shooting him blank looks, and brought his gun back up; tightening his grip on the trigger, _  
_"But that doesn't change anything. Listen, _Jar Jar Binks._ Who are you and what do you want?"  
    "I _told_ you," the Doctor replied, shaking his head as the gun came even closer to his face, _  
_"I just want to make it to tea with _Charlie Chaplin_!"  
A raven-haired man standing a few feet away, glanced over at the helmeted man beside him; his eyes wide,  
"This dude's fucking _nuts,_ J..." _  
_" _And_ ," the Doctor began, a matter-of-factly tone in his voice,  
"It's _The Doctor,_ by the way. I don't appreciate being called _every_ alien name in _American cinema--"  
_ " _The Doctor..._?"  
    He caught what appeared to be a brief look of shock flash across the fiery-haired man's face and raised an eyebrow,  
"What is it? What was that look?" _  
_"What _look,_ " the man coughed sharply, _  
_"There was _no_ look."  
"Yes, there was," the Doctor said softly, taking a step closer to him,  
"I saw it!"  
"Then, you're seein' things, cause I ain't made no _fuckin'_ look. Guys like you ain't really my _type_ \--"  
    He carefully set his hand on the young man's gun, looking him straight in the eye.  
The look seemed to return as the Doctor pushed the gun to the side; the three behind them tensing,  
"Poison..."  
"You don't have to be afraid of me," the Doctor said calmly, offering him a warm smile,  
"I'm not going to hurt you."  
    The man, now extremely tense, inhaled deeply,  
"I ain't afraid a'you, _Doc Brown._ I ain't afraid _a'nobody_ \--"  
"Then put the gun away."  
They stared at each other for a moment, the tension in the air steadily climbing.  
Finally, the blonde man standing behind them stepped forward, gun raised,  
"All right, how about you back off--"  
"Guns down," the fiery-haired man said shortly.  
    The blonde straightened, eyes widened with confusion as he watched the man holster his piece, _  
_"The fuck are you _doing_? We don't even know who he is!! Poison, he could be a _S.C.A.R.E.C.R.O.W_ \--" _  
_"I highly doubt he's a fucking _S.C.A.R.E.C.R.O.W,_ Kid," Poison snapped, turning sharply to his comrade, _  
_"How many of _them_ do you see running around in _flying boxes_?"  
He then turned and nodded to the others,  
"Put 'em away, guys."  
    They glanced at each other with looks of concern, and shaking their heads, did as Poison asked.  
The blonde still seemed reluctant; keeping his out,  
"No. No way in _hell. You_ don't trust _anybody,_ Poison. What makes this guy _special_? Cause he fell out of the _damn_ sky! That's _bullshit_ and you know it!"  
Poison nodded, glancing over at the Doctor with a frown. The man said nothing to him.  
"You're right," he began, leaning back on one leg as he gazed at the lanky man,  
"I _don't_ trust anybody."  
    With a swift motion of his hand, he grabbed the younger man's, neon red gun and tossed it back to the helmeted man behind him,  
"Keep an eye on that, wouldja, Jet?"  
"Wha--Poison!!"  
He turned back to the blonde, his eyes lit with annoyance,  
"When I tell you to do something, you _do it. Got_ it? Even _Girl_ knows better."  
Shaking his head, the blonde man shot him a rather obscene gesture and turned, storming away,  
"Fuck this....and fuck you! I'm going back to the car."  
The fiery-haired man then turned back to the Doctor, and crossed his arms, nodding to him curiously,  
"So, why come to the Zones, _Doc?_ Shouldn't you be helping _Marty_ get back to _1985_?"  
    The Doctor laughed at that, nodding as he eyed the young man up and down,  
"Aha... _cute._ That's cute. Very _sassy._ I _don't_ like it."  
He turned and started back to the smoking box, shaking his finger in the air,  
"Not far off, though. And unfortunately, I need to ask you a favour--?"  
"Party Poison," the flame-haired man followed, nodding to the other two men behind them,  
"And that's Fun Ghoul and Jet Star."  
    The Doctor turned, raising an eyebrow as he glanced between the three,  
"I'm sorry.... _what?"_  
Party Poison paused a moment, his fiery-hair catching the night wind as he placed a hand on his chest,  
"I'm _Party--"  
_ "No, no, no....I heard _that_ ," the Doctor began, waving his hands down as he tried not to laugh,  
"But that can't really be your..."  
    They stared at him blankly.  
The Doctor straightened, his expression turning to one of visible concern,  
"Well, that's _ridiculous._ Why would your parents give you such terrible names?"  
Fun Ghoul and Jet Star looked at each other again, raising their eyebrows as he continued,  
"I can't imagine the teasing when you were growing up...I'm so sorry--"  
Rubbing his temples sorely, Party Poison let out an aggravated groan,  
"Our parents didn't _give_ us these names, _genius._ We picked 'em out."  
    The Doctor paused, swallowing hard as he let out a nervous laugh,  
"Oh...! Well, in that case, I take _back_ my condolences and applaud you on your...erm... _creativity."  
_ Poison rolled his eyes at that; folding his arms across his chest as he clicked his jaw in annoyance,  
"This coming from a guy who goes by a fucking _profession_ \--"  
"Excuse me _,_ " the Doctor spun back, his eyes wide in shock,  
" ** _Language_**!"  
    Party Poison blinked in surprise, as the Doctor took a stethoscope from his tweed coat, and set the ear pieces in,  
"It's very _rude,_ you know, all that swearing. Keep it up and I'll have to wash your mouth out with _soap._ "  
He set the chest piece against the wall of the TARDIS, to which Poison turned back to the others and stifled a laugh.  
Fun Ghoul shook his head, trying to keep from laughing himself as he whispered,  
 _"What the fuck is he doing, dude?"_  
    Party Poison snickered as he shook his head, quietly replying,  
"He's checkin' the fuckin' box for a goddamn--!"  
"Ehem."  
The red head whirled around quickly, the Doctor's annoyed glare pointed right for him. He offered a smile and strolled over, wiping his nose casually,  
"So, uh....what _are_ you doing, Doc?"  
    "Checking her," he replied, a deep frown on his face as he went to listening. He moved the chest piece about the box, following the grain of the wood.  
Shaking his head, he sighed and stood up,  
"I'll need to get her up right before I can do anything else."  
"Oh, yeah sure," Poison whistled to the other two, nodding them over,  
"C'mon! Let's help him get this thing up--"  
"Oh _no, no, no_ ," the Doctor began as they positioned themselves to hoist the box up, a smile on his face as he laughed,  
"Thank you, but, that won't work."  
    Fun Ghoul raised an eyebrow, shaking his head,  
"You callin' us _weak_?" _  
_"No," the lanky man quickly responded,  
"No, absolutely not! It's just...you see it's not a normal box...it's....it's my ship."  
Ghoul and Jet continued to stare as the Doctor rambled on incoherently,  
"I mean it _is_ a box, it's a box _right now_ , that's what her Chameleon Circuit is switched to. It's broken you see, stuck on a _1963 Police Box;_ something that you must be awfully....unfamiliar with as they aren't in use across the Pond..."  
    A tinge of sadness flickered across his face and his gaze fell momentarily,  
"Yes...across the _Pond_..."  
Party Poison turned and looked at the box, a strangely distant gleam in his eye as if he were recalling something.  
"So...it's _bigger on the inside_....that's what you're getting at?"  
The Doctor shook his head at the man's blunt statement, his forlorn expression replaced now with surprise,  
"Well...yes, actually. How did you know?"  
    Party Poison gazed at the box a minute, sighing deeply as he slapped it with his free hand,  
"Just a guess. So, then, Doc...how do you figure we get this sucker sobered up?"  
The Doctor gazed at him intently a minute. There was something this man wasn't saying....but he had no idea what it could be. With a smile, he rubbed his hands together and placed a hand on her corner,  
"Ah yes...well. Would any of you happen to have a rope?"  
He turned to Party Poison with a grin.

_**\---TEN MINUTES LATER---**_

"You okay down there?"  
Party Poison shouted, standing on the hood of the car as he fed a rope down into the smoke-filled TARDIS. A voice echoed back distantly,  
 **"Just a bit more, should do it!"**  
He sighed, feeding a bit more down as he let out a cough. Fun Ghoul sighed deeply, coughing a bit as well as he glanced up at the stars,  
"Air's gettin' a little thick, don't you think?"  
    "We'll be fine," Poison replied, trying to peek inside the box.  
He was blinded by golden light and smoke. He coughed again as he pulled away from it, trying to blink away the spots in his eyes. The car shifted back suddenly and Poison fell forward, smacking his head on the TARDIS as he went. He caught himself, and turned to glare at Kobra Kid, who was smirking from his seat behind the wheel. Still holding the rope in one hand, Poison shot him the finger with his free one, the Doctor's voice distantly calling to him from inside the TARDIS, _  
 **"Is everything all right out there? I felt a jolt!"**  
_ "It's _fine_ , Doc. You almost done?"  
    **"Oh, _yes_ , you _gorgeous thing_ you..."**  
Party Poison turned to the others with a grin and placed a hand on his heart,  
"Why _thank_ you..."  
 **"What was that?"**  
"Nothing...!"  
The three of them snickered, Fun Ghoul giving Poison a high-five as the Doctor called out again,  
 **"All right. You can let go of the rope, now. I've got her."**  
    "You sure about that, Doc," the lava-haired man called, the shade almost an atomic orange in the golden glow of the TARDIS. _  
 **"Yes, yes, it's all right. And you might wanna back up a bit. It's going to get rather exciting up there in a minute."**  
_ Doing as he said, Party Poison let go of the rope and hopped down from the hood of the car; the four of them jumping as they heard the sound of a yelp and a thud.  
 **"I'm okay!"**  
    After a few more moments of incomprehensible noises, the Doctor's voice sounded again, and the 'whooshing' sound they had heard earlier began,  
 **"Ah, there we go!"**  
Party Poison and the others took a step back as the wind kicked up around the TARDIS. He went to signal Kobra to back the car away from it, but the younger man was already two steps ahead of him. As the 'whooshing' grew louder, the party couldn't believe it as the TARDIS began to flicker in and out of view.  
    Fun Ghoul quickly got his camera out and began to film it; shaking his head in disbelief,  
"What the fuck...."  
After a few more rounds, the TARDIS disappeared completely from sight.  
Party Poison stared blankly at the spot it had been in, his eyes wide and heart pounding as he smirked,  
"Holy _shit_."  
    They stood there a few moments in silent shock; none of them really knowing what to say or do.  
Finally, the fiery-haired man shook his head and nodded to the others,  
"I uh...guess the show's over, now."  
Fun Ghoul nodded, looking away from the viewfinder as he snapped the camera shut,  
"Yeah....we should probably go. No doubt the _S.C.A.R.E.C.R.O.Ws_ probably heard that..."  
They all clambered back to the car, Party Poison giving the spot one last glance before he walked away,  
"Yeah...let's go."  
    As he was getting ready to start the car, the 'whooshing' sound returned and he hoped out, Kobra rolling his eyes and calling after him,  
"Poison! _C'mon_!!"  
He turned his gaze to the sky, seeing nothing but stars. As the wind began to pick up again, he spun back to look at the spot where the TARDIS had been laying to see that it was flickering back in to place; this time, upright. The Doctor stepped out as it solidified; rope in hands as he smirked,  
"You didn't think I was just going to abscond with your rope, now did you? Wham, bam, thank you..."  
He paused as he approached the fiery-haired man, coughing shortly,  
"...Party Poison."  
    Poison grinned as he took back the rope and nodded to the TARDIS,  
"So, what was wrong with your box, Doc?"  
"Well," the Doctor turned to look at it, hands on his hips,  
"Believe it or _not_ , when she crashed she switched her coordinates to _'2019'_ instead of _'1919'._ Definitely no _Charlie Chaplins_ around here. No wonder you lot looked at me like I was _insane_..."  
He chuckled to himself, Party Poison nodding with a blank stare,  
"Yeah...yeah, _that_ was why."  
    "Well," the Doctor said, bowing slightly to the young man,  
"Thank you for the help. I'll be on my way, now. Good luck to you. I hear the post- _Helium War_ period was a _rough time_ in American history...."  
"Thanks, Doc."  
Nodding shortly, the Doctor turned and headed back into the TARDIS.  
Party Poison stood there a moment as the box faded from view, and he nodded shortly to himself.  
    Turning back for the car, he straightened as he reached the door as if feeling someone hovering over his shoulder and spun around.  
A stone angel now stood where the TARDIS had been, it's arm outstretched; finger pointed at him.  
Swallowing hard, he quickly climbed in and sped off; the angel's face turning demonic as the car disappeared from view....

~ø~

It was nearly morning by the time the boys reached the Diner; the sun just barely peeking over the horizon.  
As the car finally pulled in, a young girl with bouncing curls rushed out onto the porch to meet them; toy robot in her arms. Jet Star and Fun Ghoul hopped out first, the tiny child running to them happily,  
"You came back!"  
She threw herself into Jet's legs, a bright smile on her face as he popped his helmet up,  
"Of course we did."  
    "Yeah," Ghoul continued, as he rounded the car toward them,  
"Why _wouldn't_ we?"  
"I thought you got ghosted," she began as he ruffled her hair, hugging the little bot closer,  
"You were gone a long time..."  
"Well, _who's_ fault is that," Kobra Kid grumbled in annoyance as he clambered out and stormed inside. The tiny girl looked to Fun Ghoul and Jet Star, raising an eyebrow curiously,  
"What crawled up his _ass_ and died?"  
    The two men shook their heads; sighing in unison. She then turned to the man still sitting in the car and smiled as she rested her chin on the open window,  
"Hey, Poison...you coming? I made breakfast."  
He didn't seem to hear her, instead keeping his focus on the steering wheel. The little girl frowned,  
"Poison, you okay?"  
Still no response. Fun Ghoul cleared his throat and gently gave the car door a whack, the fiery-haired man inside jumping with a start,  
"Huh! Oh...oh yeah, I'll-I'll be in in a minute."  
    Reaching out of the window, he tousled the little one's hair and she giggled; beaming brightly as she lead the other two inside. His smile fell as she disappeared and he brought his hand back into the car; rubbing his forehead gently. Glancing back at the Diner to make sure no one was coming, he reached into his jacket and pulled a small, leather journal from within its folds. It was worn and aged with use; the ink on its weathered pages faded by time.  
    He flipped through it furiously, his eyes scanning the text for something specific. It took a few entries, but he soon found it,  
"September 22nd....1946."  
He trailed his finger down the page until it hit the words _"magic, blue box"_. He read the whole sentence,  
"It's been almost a week, now....a week since you disappeared in the magic, blue box that was bigger on the inside....you..."  
He tensed, straightening as he ran his fingers over the final words,  
"....and the Doctor."  
    Taking a deep breath, he leaned back in his seat, and let the book fall to his lap. It couldn't be possible. It wasn't possible. These words....they were just nonsense. They always had been! Nonsense spouted by its grief-driven author. He shook his head, sighing deeply,  
"It's impossible....it's _fuckin'_ impossible."  
After a moment, he stuffed the journal back in his jacket and clambered out of the car. He started up the porch, his eyes widening as he heard a familiar, loud, 'whooshing' sound.  
    The wind picked up and he spun around, his heart stopping as the TARDIS appeared just at the end of the lot. With a loud creak, one of it's doors swung open and out stepped the Doctor, arms outstretched,  
"Charlie, _hello!!_ How are--?"  
He stopped, swallowing hard as his eyes fell upon the startled form of Party Poison.

**"--you?"**


	4. Chapter 4

     **The Lonely Assassins**

    They stared at each other in silence; the only sound being that of the wind rustling through the dried leaves of dying shrubbery that surrounded the Diner. The Doctor opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Turning fast on his heel, he dashed back into the TARDIS and the 'whooshing' sound began again. The box flickered for a bit, but stayed in the same position and after a minute, the Doctor poked his head out to look around.  
    Party Poison was still there; shooting him a confused stare. He watched the Doctor repeat this many times, the others soon coming out to check on him,  
"Poison, what...?"  
The Doctor, finally fed up when his last attempt to leave failed, stomped out of the TARDIS and began yelling at it,  
"What am I still doing here!? _'1919'_ I asked for _'1919'_ not _'2019'_ , you.... you know what, until you take me where I want to go, you aren't _'sexy'_ anymore. You're _'stupid'_. A stupid, worthless, good-for-nothing bo--"  
    He kicked the box with great force, an expression of pain crossing his face as he grabbed his foot and turned to the boys. Catching their startled looks, he coughed sharply and cleared his throat, setting his foot down carefully,  
"Hello, again."  
He dusted himself off as the boys turned to look at each other, the little girl pushing through them to see what they were looking at. Upon spying the Doctor, she turned her curious gaze up to the neon-haired man at her side,  
"Who's this _bozo_?"  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    Now inside the Diner, the Doctor sat at what used to be the bar, glancing around at the various, colorful trinkets in the room. What disturbed him most were the naked mannequins in the corner. Even without eyes, it felt as though they were staring at him.  
"So, looks like you didn't fix it, after all..."  
He turned to see Party Poison strolling over to him; an open can in his hand. The Doctor raised a curious brow as the young man took out a fork and began eating from said can; noting the label,  
"Is that... _dog food_?"  
    Poison looked down at it briefly, nodding as he extended it to him,  
"Yeah. You want some?"  
The Doctor pulled back and shook his head, coughing softly,  
"No, erm...no, thank you. I filled up on _Fancy Feast_ in the TARDIS."  
He nodded, shovelling another bite into his mouth,  
"Gotcha."  
    The Doctor gagged as Party Poison turned and went to sit at the booth with his friends; Jet Star looking up curiously from his can,  
"So, how are you gonna get to your date with _Chaps_ if you can't fix your box?"  
"What," the Doctor frowned, shaking his head,  
"Oh no, no, no, it's not a date, just _tea_. We're going to talk about his future endeavors with United Artists."  
    They were all quiet for a moment as they stared at him; Fun Ghoul finally breaking the silence,  
"Yeah, it's a date."  
"Totally."  
"Just make sure you use protection, Doc."  
"We got yer back, man."  
Party Poison turned to the others, winking playfully as he made an obscene gesture with his hands.  
Fun Ghoul let out a whistle.  
    Rolling his eyes, the Doctor shook his head; a frustrated sigh escaping him. He may have been prone to acting like a child himself sometimes, but he was certain he had never been quite as bad as these four. A distant rumbling drew their attention then, and Party Poison stood; a smirk crossing his lips as he quickly spit into his hand and slicked back his hair with it,  
"'Scuse me, _gentlemen_..."  
    He strolled out of the Diner as the rumbling grew closer, the Doctor raising an eyebrow as he peered out of the front window. Someone was pulling up on a motor bike outside....  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    Poison grinned as she pulled up, stretching his arms out to either side as she hopped off of the multi-coloured bike that read 'GO-GO',  
"Heeey, sexy _lay-deh_..."  
She marched toward him with purpose, a waterfall of ebony hair spilling down past her shoulders as she pulled her purple helmet from her head. He started to reach for her, as if to pull her in for a kiss, and quickly, she slammed the helmet into his gut,  
"Not now, Poison."  
    The fiery-haired man doubled over with a grunt as he grabbed a hold of it, his voice coming out as a squeak,  
" _Okay..._ "  
He rolled his eyes as he could here the others dying with laughter inside the Diner and trudged after her with a sigh.  
The others came to meet her outside, Fun Ghoul front and centre,  
"Hey, Go-Go."  
    "You got the tape," she said, her steel-like eyes eying the Doctor as Ghoul rushed back inside,  
"Who's he?"  
" _Christopher Lloyd_ ," Party Poison interjected from behind her. She turned and rolled her eyes at him, nodding to the Doctor,  
"I like your bow tie. Very choice."  
He smiled at that, blushing softly as she winked at him,  
"Ermm...th-thank you," he fixed it a little,  
"They are cool, aren't they?"  
    Party Poison rolled his eyes at this and shook his head; folding his arms angrily as he slouched.  
Fun Ghoul emerged from the Diner, then, camera in hand as he pushed passed the Doctor and Jet Star to get to Go-Go,  
"Here. It starts about 40 seconds in."  
She pressed play.  
 _ **"Check it out, man."**_  
 _ **"A Good Will Hunting poster?"**_  
 _ **"Hell, yeah, a 'Good Will Hunting' poster! It's a fucking classic!"**_  
    She let out a sigh and turned to the neon-haired man behind her,  
"You took that poster, didn't you?"  
He turned to her with a look of disgust,  
"Pfft, what? No....!"  
 _ **"Do you think they'd miss it if I took it for the Diner?"**_  
She cleared her throat; shifting her weight to her right leg as she glared him down. He bit his lip and shrugged as the video continued, Fun Ghoul's voice ringing in loud and clear,  
 _ **"I cannot believe you're looting a dead person's house."**_  
"It's out of print...you can find shit like that anymore."  
She continued to stare at him disapprovingly, and he coughed, running a hand through his greasy hair,  
"Shut up."  
"I didn't say anything."  
    Fun Ghoul cleared his throat, then and tapped on the viewfinder,  
"This is where shit starts gettin' weird. Right here."  
She turned her attention back to the screen, the flickering image of Party Poison's face appearing,  
 _ **"Holy shit!!"**_  
 _ **"What is it!!?"**_  
 _ **"Your fuckin' face, dude. You are so fuckin' ugly, oh my God..."**_  
 _ **"You little bitch."**_  
    The Doctor coughed shortly, and shook his head,  
"Well, if all this is going to be is a display of your colourfully _vast_ vocabulary, I'll just see myself out."  
He started away, the dirt crunching under his feet as he started back to the TARDIS.  
 _ **"Hey Poison, come here a sec..."**_  
 _ **"What?"**_  
The Doctor paused as he reached the TARDIS door, the words just barely audible over the sound of grinding gravel,  
 _ **"When did that statue get there?"**_  
    He slowly turned back toward the group, his face growing pale as the sounds of panicked yelling and gunfire sounded.  
 _ **"HOLY SHIT!!"**_  
 _ **"How's it doing that!? How the fuck is it doing that!?"**_  
Quickly, he raced back over to them, pushing Party Poison aside as he snatched the camera from Fun Ghoul's hands. The raven-haired man let out a yell as he took it and turned back toward the TARDIS,  
"What the hell, Doc?!"  
    The Doctor stared at the screen, the flickering glitches in the video making it hard to discern what he was seeing. Then finally, there was a break in the action. He could see it in the hall, beyond the glowing tip of Poison's ray gun....  
  
 **An angel statue in the shadows.**  
  
    Swallowing hard, he promptly turned and hurried back over to them. Party Poison frowned, startled as the man suddenly snatched his ray gun from it's holster,  
"WHOA, hey, now--!!"  
The lanky man then turned, his tweed coat thumping softly against his thigh as he marched to the edge of the road. Rearing back, he hurled the camera into the air and, taking aim with the Poison's gun, fired multiple shots at the device. It blew in half upon impact, and sparked, scattering across the desert scape in pieces.  
    He spotted Party Poison storming straight for him as he turned back again, and scowling, walked up to meet him, slamming the gun into the man's chest,  
"Here."  
The flame-haired man, confused at the Doctor's sudden change in behaviour, spun on his heel and pointed his gun in the direction of the disintegrated camera,  
"The fuck was that about, Doc?"  
"Language, _again_ ," the man stated sternly, noting the glares from the others. He turned to Party Poison, still scowling,  
"And it was nothing really....just trying to _save your lives_."  
    Kobra Kid shook his head in confusion, a angered tone in his voice,  
"What do you mean 'saving our lives'? From what?"  
"From what," the Doctor chuckled, shaking his head as he strolled right up to the blonde and glared him down,  
"From the thing on that _damned_ video tape, that's what! The image of an angel itself _becomes_ an angel, or don't you know that? No, no of course not. _Troglodytes_ , the lot of you are!"  
    "Whoa, hey now," Jet Star began, shaking his head with a sigh,  
"What's with you, Doc? No need for insults..."  
"A fucking _explanation_ would be nice, though," Poison spat angrily, slipping his ray gun back into his holster.  
"And why they've been popping up all over the desert," Go-Go continued, shaking her head as she turned to the Doctor in concern,  
"Killjoys _everywhere_ have been seeing them. From Zone 6 to Zone 3."  
"Well, how many is that," the Doctor began, "Because if they're in the desert, they're after something. And if they're after something then we need to find out what it is--"  
"Can you tell us what they _are_ first, maybe," Fun Ghoul frowned as the party followed him back into the Diner.  
    The Doctor paused, gazing blankly at one of the mannequins in the corner,  
"What they are..."  
 _'"Doctor!"'_  
He bowed his head solemnly; the image of her, standing with her back turned in that cemetery, entered his mind,  
"They're called the Weeping Angels. The Lonely Assassins..."  
He slowly turned to them, his eyes first meeting with Party Poison's,  
"And right now....all of you are in more danger than you could ever know."  
    They were all quiet for a moment, until Poison finally laughed,  
"Pfffft, please. I've seen more dangerous things than _statues_ \--"  
" _NO_ , you haven't!"  
He stormed up to him, glaring him right in the eyes as he snarled in anger,  
"These creatures are from the deepest sections of the universe. No one knows how old they are or where exactly they came from and one touch.... _ONE_ touch from them will..."  
    "...will what, Doc," the hazel-eyed man frowned, staring wide-eyed at the man's enraged outburst.  
Taking a step back, the Doctor coughed and wrung his hands together, bowing his head again,  
"One touch from a Weeping Angel....and you're dead."  
"Whoa," Fun Ghoul breathed, his eyes widening as he glanced around at the others,  
"Like 'oh, dude you are _so_ dead' dead or like.... _dead_ dead?"  
    Jet Star shook his head as he turned to look at the shorter man, who shrugged his shoulders wih a squeak,  
"What? I'm just curious!"  
" _Dead_ , dead," the Doctor began with a sigh,  
"Sent back to live your life in the past, to _DIE_ in the past....and be dead here in your future. For the people left behind, you're gone in the blink of an eye, but for the one sent back....it's an _eternity_."  
    "So, they don't _kill_ you, persay," Go-Go replied, folding her arms across her chest,  
"They send you back and you die of old age."  
The Doctor nodded, wringing his hands together as he started for the door,  
"Yes...and if the angels are here, they're likely looking for something. They wouldn't just be out in a toxic desert full of excess radiation for no reason. A power source...a food supply. The angels feed off the time energy expelled from the things and people they touch, so tell me," he turned as he reached the dirt, the group following him with Go-Go at the front,  
"Have any of you noticed anything strange or out of place lately..."  
"The _angels_ \--"  
"Besides, the angels," he groaned, shaking his head.  
    Party Poison hung to the back, quietly pulling the aged journal out of his pocket. He turned away as the Doctor continued to question them as a group. Flipping through the pages, he spotted numerous doodles of screaming angels scratched into the parchment. On this particular page, he noticed a pattern of words scratched into bold...

**...the angels are coming.**

  
    "Poison."  
Quickly clapping it shut, he slipped it hastily into his waistband as he spun to face the Doctor,  
"Wha-yeah??"  
"Have you seen anything," he began, shaking his head with a sigh,  
"Anything out of place or out of the ordinary?"  
    Glancing away from him, he looked to the others and Go-Go, coughing shortly as he quickly shook his head,  
"N-nah. Nothing. I ain't seen nothing."  
Go-Go nodded, sighing deeply,  
"Well, I guess I'll go make my rounds, then. See if any of the other 'Joys know anything."  
Taking her helmet from the neon-haired man behind her, she started back to her bike; the others waving her off,  
"See ya, Go-Go."  
"Yeah, later."  
    Party Poison opened his mouth to say something; not but a squeak escaping him. She paused at this and turned back; smiling as he innocently pretended not to look at her. Rolling her eyes, she let out a sigh and strolled back over to him; smirking smugly,  
" _Poison._ "  
He coughed; scratching his head as he glanced up at her,  
"Hmm? Oh, what? You want something?"  
    Grabbing the collar of his jacket, she pulled him into a kiss; the Doctor's eyes widening as the rather intense moment between the two grew uncomfortable to watch. Kobra Kid rolled his eyes, leaning over to him with a sigh,  
"This always happens when Go-Go comes around."  
Fun Ghoul let out a whistle,  
"Get a _room_!"  
    After a few moments more of swapping saliva, Go-Go broke away from him; her eyes lit excitedly,  
"See you at _Mad Gear_ tomorrow night?"  
"Oh, baby," he breathed, gazing into her eyes,  
"I wouldn't miss it."  
She grinned, as she stepped away from him, starting back to the bike,  
"Good, 'cause I'll have the van," she began, wiping her lips as she winked at him,  
"We can have our own _private show_...know what I mean?"  
    The Doctor frowned, turning to Fun Ghoul with a scowl,  
"What _does_ she mean?"  
Ghoul and Jet both looked at him; blank stares of disbelief on their faces. Even Kobra Kid was staring at him. The Doctor coughed then, as if the light bulb had gone on, and blushed slightly,  
"O-Oh...oh."  
    Putting her helmet on, she revved up the engine to her motorbike and pulled away from the Diner, leaving a cloud of dust in her wake as she sped off down the road.  
Party Poison grinned as he caught the others staring and threw his arms out to either side,  
"Hey, I can't help it if the lady likes her _poison_ , a'ight? Don't get _jelly_ , baby--"  
"Jelly babies," the Doctor piped up, smiling brightly,  
"I love those!"  
    Poison blinked at him silently.  
With a cough, the Doctor back stepped toward the TARDIS,  
"Yes, erm...well....I'll start scanning the area for any high concentrations of time energy. It should only take a few hours, but with the radiation and other chemicals in the atmosphere....I don't actually know."  
He then quickly entered the TARDIS and shut the door behind him.  
    The Girl shook her head as she turned to Party Poison, sighing deeply,  
"He's fuckin' _weird_ , Poison."  
"I know," he said, ruffling the top of her head as they all went back inside.  
"What's he still doing here, anyway?"  
"His box broke down. He's gotta fix it."  
"He drives around in a box? Can he even see without a windshield?"  
"Trust me, doll, he fuckin' can't."  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    The Doctor stood alone in the TARDIS, sighing deeply as he went straight to the monitor. He began perusing her database; digging left and right for the correct program. A small screen in the corner soon appeared akin to radar, and it began to softly 'blip' as it scanned the area.  
A red dot appeared, somewhere within a 100 mile radius. His eyes widened as one red dot soon became two, multiplying quickly and he tensed as he suddenly found the screen teeming with them; nearly 20 in total.  
    He took a pair of aged, round spectacles from his coat pocket and held them thoughtfully for a moment, then put them on and continued to gaze at the monitor,  
"What is it this time, eh? What are you after....?"  
The red dots continued to pulse, offering him no other reply...  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    Go-Go sped down the dusty highway, her long, raven locks beating violently against her back as the wind whipped around her. As she approached a bend in the road, she straightened.  
  
 ** _A stone angel stood in her path._ **  
  
She swerved the bike to avoid it; screeching to a halt as she was met with another one a few feet away.  
Glancing around, she found two more angels, surrounding her on either side. She was completely blocked in. Her heart began racing as she glanced back and forth between them; the four angels slowly but surely drawing closer....  


 


	5. Chapter 5

** Party In The Tardis**

    A group of children played happily in the back lot of a small, run down building; the desert sun beating down from high in the sky. It was nearly noon. One of the children paused as they spotted a stone angel at the edge of the property and stared at it a minute. It hadn't been there a moment ago. They blinked curiously at it, gasping as it seemed to move a few feet closer. The child smiled and blinked again; seeing the same thing occur,  
"Whoa, cool."  
    They toddled away from the group to get closer to the statue, and held a hand up,  
"Red light!"  
Giggling, they then covered their eyes with their hands,  
"Green light!"  
When they opened them again, the angel was towering over them; a twisted grin on it's marble face,  
"Red light!"  
The child continued to giggle and again, brought their hands up to cover their eyes. _  
  
 **"Green light!"**  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    **"Look alive, sunshine...."**  
  
   _ Party Poison sat at the booth, stretched across the seat. He was alone, only the sound of the radio keeping him company as the others had gone to get gas in the car for their trip to Gravel Gertie's later that day. He flipped through the pages of the aged journal in his hands; rubbing his forehead tiredly. _  
 **'June 17th, 1945. Finally going home today. It wasn't anything like I thought it'd be...Hollywood ain't got shit on it. I'm still fuckin' surprised I'm even here...I saw so many kids die out there. Bev's brother was one of 'em. He was only 18... fuckin' depressing. I never thought I'd say this, but...I'd take a duel with a Drac anyday over what I saw play out on that damn beach.'**  
    _ A chill trickled down his spine as he shut the book. The more he read the words, the more familiar the imagery became to him. From the Dracs, to the Doctor, to the description of the TARDIS....and now, the Weeping Angels. It was as if Old Milligram were predicting the future with his entries. He had even placed what looked to be hashtags at the bottom of each page. _  
_"#fuckin' crazy. #bullshit. #private ryan my ass..." _  
_ He snickered at the last one.  
A chilling thought then rushed through him.  
What the Doctor had said earlier about the angels...about time energy and being sent to the past.... _  
  
What if....?  
     
    _ Swallowing hard, he stood from the booth and grabbed his jacket; pulling it on as he went outside. He trudged to the TARDIS, coughing shortly as he knocked a few times at the door,  
"Hey, Doc? You got a second?"  
No response. He frowned and knocked again. How big could it really be in there?  
"Doc? Hello?"  
It creaked open a little and he frowned; pushing it open cautiously,  
"Doc?"  
    He could not even begin to describe what he saw beyond those doors.  
A hexagonal shaped console sat at the centre of the room, riddled with buttons and knobs. It surrounded a cylindrical post; the post glowing with 6 lighted green tubes. Steel railings outlined the console platform, leading to multiple sets of stairs that travelled both upward and downwards. He slowly walked to the console, running his hand carefully along the controls as he circled it. Coming upon a monitor, his eyes widening as he spotted the image of a Victorian woman in the left hand corner,  
"Clara Oswin Oswald....?"  
    Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned and jabbed his thumb at it, eying the Doctor coming up the stairs,  
"She your girlfriend?" _  
_"No," the long-legged man began, storming over to it and switching to a radar screen,  
"She _isn't._ "  
Shaking his head, Party Poison leaned back against the console with a sigh,  
"Damn, Doc. Ya ain't got a _girlfriend_ and ya ain't got a _boyfriend_? How _do_ you get by on the lonely nights? Heart to hearts with _Mr. Right....?"  
_ He shook his right hand in the air as he stepped away from the console; circling the platform as the Doctor began to blush,  
"You know, I _don't_ think that's any of your business," he began, shaking his head,  
"And did I even _invite_ you here or did you just _saunter_ in of your own volition?"  
    "Ooh, I _sauntered_ ," Poison smirked turning back to him with a wink,  
"I definitely sauntered. Subtle, by the by, changing the subject like that--"  
"Is there something you want," the man demanded, visibly annoyed by this point,  
"Because I'm a busy man, _Party Poison._ Between trying to fix my ship and figuring out why the angels are here, it's difficult to concentrate with you babbling on like a _buffoon_ in my ears..."  
"Testy, _testy,_ " the fiery-haired man grinned, glancing around with a sigh,  
"And I dunno what good fixing her will do ya. I mean, she's _good_ , Doc, I'll give you that...but she ain't no _DeLorean_."  
    "Well, I'm very sorry to have disappointed you with my humble _Police Box,_ but for the record, I could _change_ her appearance if I wanted to..."  
"Really," Poison gaped, his eyes widening as he looked to the Doctor in surprise,  
"You could make this bitch look like a DeLorean?"  
The Doctor swallowed hard as he turned away from the monitor, and shook his head, slapping both hands down on the console,  
"Well... _no_... not anymore. Her Chameleon Circuit is broken, but before that, I _could_ have, and further more, I'd appreciate it if you didn't refer to her as _'this. bitch'._ It's very degrading."  
    Party Poison snorted, shaking his head with a smirk,  
"Forget what I said before. You probably don't even need your hand. Just lube up and take _this_ puppy for a spin."  
He slapped his hands on the steel railing as he leaned back against it, a loud clang reverberating throughout the room. The Doctor glared at him darkly, an irritated look on his face,  
"I'm serious, now, not playing games anymore. What is it that you want?"  
    The younger man sighed deeply, leaning back as he glanced around the room,  
"Oh, right. Uh...I was just, uh...just wondering if you..."  
He swallowed hard, the Doctor frowning at him,  
"If I _'what'_?"  
Party Poison coughed, feeling his mouth dry out as he stammered quickly,  
"If you...if you wanted to go with us to Gravel Gertie's. Me and the guys, we go there and drop off supplies every so often, you know....clean water, cans of Pup....stuff like that for the kiddies. Thought maybe you'd wanna come."  
    "I told you before," he said, shaking his head with a sigh as he started back downstairs,  
"I'm _busy_! I haven't the time to go cruising through the desert."  
The neon-haired man nodded shortly, as he disappeared below, clapping his fist to his palm,  
"Okay, that's cool."  
    He turned and started back for the door; scratching his head with a sigh.  
Stopping, he called back down to the man, swallowing again,  
"Hey, uh....one more question?" _  
 **"What is it?"**  
_ Poison bit his lip and took a deep breath as he pulled the aged journal from his waistband,  
"This thing's a 'time machine', right? You....uh," he slapped it against his palm,  
"You ever been to the 40s?" _  
 **"Have I ever been to the 40s? What kind of question is that?"**  
_ "Just curious..." _  
 **"Of course I have. Multiple times..."**  
    _ Party Poison smiled at that, and breathed a sigh of relief. That had to be all it was.  
The Doctor had gone to the 1940s and met his great grandfather; that's how Milligram knew about the TARDIS and the angels.  
 _  
But it still didn't bring into account how he knew about the Dracs.  
  
    _ Nodding to himself, he turned and walked back out the door, the Doctor calling up to him, _  
 **"Why do you ask?"**  
_ Upon receiving no reply, the Doctor made his way back up the staircase to the console, _  
_"Poison, why do you...?" _  
_The young man was gone.  
Coughing shortly, the Doctor wrung his hands and started back down the staircase in silence.  
  
    ~ø~  
 _  
_ Poison straightened as the car pulled up and stepped out onto the porch, raising an eyebrow as Kobra Kid stepped out from the driver's side,  
"I thought I told Jet he was driving."  
"So," Kobra shrugged, slamming the door shut, _  
"_ He said _I_ could." _  
_The red head turned to his helmeted comrade; jabbing a finger in Kid's direction,  
"You said that _little shit_ could drive my car?" _  
_"He _asked,_ " Jet Star exclaimed, holding his hands up innocently.  
    Fun Ghoul had yet to get out of the car; Girl sitting with him. Both of them seemed to have a look of shock on their faces. Poison raised an eyebrow as he walked over to them,  
"Guys? Somethin' wrong?"  
As he drew closer, he began to hear the radio, his eyes widening as a familiar radio personality delivered some rather grim news, _  
"This next one goes out to a certain dust angel who met her maker just a little too soon; ghosted out on Route Guano by parties unknown. The zones won't be the same without you, Go-Go."  
    _ As the song began to play, the neon-haired man turned and silently walked away from the car; heading back into the Diner. Kobra Kid followed after him, watching as he gathered up several cans into a bag as well as a few jugs of water,  
"You okay, man?"  
Party Poison shrugged as he hoisted the bag over his shoulders, nodding with a snort,  
"Yeah. Why _wouldn't_ I be?"  
    He pushed passed him, heading to the car. Placing the bags in the trunk, he stepped up to the driver's side door and nodded to Kobra and Jet, _  
_"You ladies comin' or what?"  
Shaking their heads, the two walked back over and joined him.  
With a rev of the engine, Party Poison pulled out of the Diner with a loud squeal and a tidal wave of dust.... _  
  
_ ~ø~  
     
   The Doctor frowned as he fumbled with the wires beneath the TARDIS console. From the looks of things, there was absolutely nothing wrong with her, at least nothing he could find. He sighed and pulled the goggles from his face, trudging back upstairs,  
"So, what is it then, you stupid box…why won’t you let me leave?"  
He walked around to the monitor and sighed, leaning against it on his palms. He gazed at the screen, noting the shift in the red dots. They congregated a few miles from his location; seemingly in the middle of the desert,  
"It’s the angels… _isn’t_ it? But what do they want…what are they here for?”  
 _ **‘“You ever been to the ’40s?”’  
**_ "Why did you ask me that, Party Poison…? Why would you want to know…?"  
Sighing, he started for the door, his eyebrow raising as he spied a piece of card stock at the entry way. Bending down, he picked it up, reading over it with a frown,  
"Michael Milligram…June 6th 1944?"  
Upon turning it over, his hearts stopped. Eyes wide, he slowly swiveled to look back at the monitor. More red dots were gathering at that location.  
 _ **‘“Just wondering if you wanted to go with us to Gravel Gertie’s…Me and the guys go there every so often and drop off supplies for the kids…”’  
**_ He swallowed hard, his throat going dry,  
"Oh, dear."  
  
    ~ø~ _  
  
_ An awkward silence reigned in the car as the radio went to static and Party Poison grumbled, fumbling with the knob a bit,  
"Goddammit..."  
Fun Ghoul cleared his throat softly,  
"Are we... uh...out of range or something?"  
"No, we're not _fucking_ out of range," Poison snapped, smacking it with his palm,  
"This radio's a piece of _shit_!" _  
_ He repeatedly smacked it, growing angrier by the second as the station blared static at them,  
"C'mon...! C'mon!! Fucking... son of a _bitch_!!"  
When the repeated hits failed to work for him, he gave it a good punch and slouched back in his seat, finally turning it off, _  
"Jesus!"  
_ He glared at the window blankly, the others shifting uncomfortably in their seats. With a dull blink, he let out an aggravated sigh, _  
"What?"  
    _ The others coughed and shook their heads, each looking in a direction away from him,  
"Nothing, man."  
"Yeah, it's nothing."  
"Not a thing. Not a thing..."  
Girl sighed deeply, peeking over the head of her robot toy as she bit her lip,  
"Are you okay, Poison?" _  
_ The three around her tensed and and held their breaths, glancing at the red head nervously as if waiting for a bomb to go off.  
Party Poison only sighed, however, and glanced out the window; resting his elbow on the door,  
"I'm fine."  
Seeing that she had gotten away with addressing her concerns, Fun Ghoul cleared his throat again and leaned forward,  
"You sure? You don't seem fine, dude--"  
"I fucking said _I'm fine_!!"  
    The raven-haired man leaned back in his seat, hastily waving him down,  
"Okay, okay...!"  
They pulled up in front of Gravel Gertie's a few moments later, Poison clambering out first. He slammed the door rather fiercely, the others waiting back in the car a moment as he started to the front door.  
Fun Ghoul finally broke the silence, glancing at the others with a sigh _,  
_ "I dunno about you guys, but, I think he's upset."  
    Jet Star shook his head and climbed out, Kobra Kid following quickly after. The dark-haired man glanced down at Girl and shrugged his shoulders, _  
"What?"  
_ She simply rolled her eyes at him,  
"You're a _dumbass._ "  
Shaking her head, she started to the front after Party Poison as the others grabbed the supplies from the trunk; leaving Fun Ghoul in stunned silence. _  
_ Bouncing up next to the neon-haired man, Girl grabbed his hand, looking up curiously at his frowning face,  
"What's wrong?"  
"No one's answering..."  
Knocking a final time, he cautiously reached into his holster and waved Girl behind him,  
"Gertie? You in there?"  
    The others came up behind him; Kobra dropping the jugs as Poison drew his gun,  
"What is it? What happened?"  
The flame-haired man said nothing as he reached over and turned the knob. Poison tensed as the door clicked and creaked open slightly.  
Gertie would never have left the door unlocked, this he knew for certain.  
He glanced back at the others, charging inside without another word, _  
"Gertie!"  
_ The others quickly followed suit, keeping Girl guarded at their centre as they entered the building.  
    The building, much reminiscent of a rundown school house, seemed completely deserted.  
As they rounded the corner, Poison cautiously turned and approached the kitchen; the group following closely behind. He swallowed hard as he pushed open the door, eying a middle aged woman lying in a pool of blood on the floor. With his gun drawn, he hurried in and knelt down beside her, _  
_"Gertie....!" _  
_ The woman let out a gurgled gasp as he rolled her over, looking to him with fading eyes and he tensed; eying the leaking wound in her gut. Quickly, he undid the golden handkerchief round his calf and pressed it to the wound; shaking his head as she tried to speak,  
"Just shut the fuck up, all right? Don't talk."  
    Girl gasped at seeing the woman lying there, her eyes growing wide,  
"Gertie?"  
She continued to choke; gurgling blood as her voice crackled,  
"Go...."  
"No way," Poison stated sternly, shaking his head,  
"We're not leaving you here like this."  
    She shook her head; crimson splashing on her chin as she coughed,  
"....Go...!"  
"I just fucking said we're not leaving you--!!"  
She reached up and grabbed the collar of his jacket, jerking him closer to her as she looked him square in his hazel eyes,  
"GO.... _GO_." _  
_ Her grip loosened then and she fell back against the floor; gazing blankly at the ceiling.  
Poison straightened as her final words sounded like a siren in his ears and he stood; gun drawn as he charged out of the kitchen passed the group. Kobra called after him, drawing his gun as well as he followed, _  
"Poison!"  
   _ The fiery-haired man stormed to the back door; his heart racing as he glanced into the various rooms. The children were gone.  
But where had they gone to?  
Throwing open the backdoor, he tensed as his gaze fell upon a woman in a grey business suit. Her chin-length, ebony locks fluttered softly in the summer breeze, but what caught his eye most was the lengthy katana in her grasp; dripping blood. _  
  
 **And when she spoke, he felt his heart come to a sudden stop.**  
  
   _ "I thought you'd never come," she began, her voice slightly deeper than he remembered,  
"I've been waiting so long for this day..."  
Slowly, she turned to him; a crooked smile on her ruby lips. She looked older than she had the last time he had seen her; an impossible feat considering it hadn't even been 24 hours.  
Her voice was almost robotic as she spoke; emotionless and dry,  
"I've missed you... _Party Poison."  
_ Party Poison swallowed hard, tightening his grip on his ray gun as he gazed at her sadly. _  
_  
 _"Go-Go..."_  



	6. Chapter 6

Baby, Don't GO-GO

The Doctor tensed as he looked back to the radar. The mass of red dots was steadily growing larger.   
Swallowing hard, he hurried back to the console and quickly began to flick and pull at the controls,  
"Oh no...oh no, no, no, that's not good. That is _not_ good."  
He ran aroundto the other side, becoming angered with every twist and flip as the TARDIS refused to budge,  
"C'mon! C'mon!!!"  
She gave no response no matter what he tried, and with an aggravated kick, he spun on his heel and ran outside,  
"WHAT _BLOODY_ _GOOD_ ARE YOU!?"  
    Glancing around, he cursed to himself; dust kicking up around him. There was nothing he could do; no way to get there. He then turned and hurried to the Diner. If he remembered correctly, there ought to have been a radio behind the counter of the bar.  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    "You didn't even notice, did you," the raven-haired woman began; the wind beginning to pick up,  
"That I was gone."  
Party Poison shook his head; finger cautiously on the trigger of his gun,  
"I heard it on D's show about an hour ago. Said you were dust."  
"And how did that make you feel?"  
    She stared at him blankly, her eyes cold and dark.  
He swallowed hard; shrugging,  
"Dunno. You know how it is out here, Go-Go," he coughed, feeling a lump beginning to develop in his throat,  
"Killjoys die all the time. Fact of life."  
"You weren't sad?"  
He straightened; gazing at her silently. The woman forced a toothy smile,  
"I didn't think you would be. What we had was only physical after all. Nothing more than that."  
    Her face lit up as she noted how he'd flinched at her words, and she smiled again,  
"No? Was I wrong?"  
She started closer to him, dragging the blade of her katana across the ground,  
"Did it hurt? When you'd heard I'd died? Were you upset?"  
"The world goes on," he stated coldly, gazing at the Better Living Industries badge pinned to her suit jacket.  
    She stopped and looked down at it as well; cocking her head to the side,  
"Yes...yes, I suppose it does."  
Turning her focus back to him then, her smile fell and she sighed,  
"Would you like me to tell you why I joined S.C.A.R.E.C.R.O.W?"  
He tensed as she brought her sword up; watching her run her fingers up the dull edge of the blade,  
"It's because I never want to feel the way I felt all those years ago...."  
She reached out and pressed a soft hand to his cheek; an empty smile on her lips,  
"...when I lost you."  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    The Doctor cursed as he reached the front door; unable to get inside. With an aggravated growl, he pulled his sonic screwdriver from his pocket and waved it at the lock; the door popping open in response. Pressing inside, he ran to the bar; making to hop over it as he spotted the radio. Unfortunately, he underestimated the height and smacked his shins against the corners of the counter; promptly bouncing off and into the bar stools. Wide-eyed and bewildered, he shook his head as he pushed himself up,  
"Well, _that's_ a safety hazard..."  
    He rose from the floor and hobbled around the fixture to the radio.  
Taking out his sonic once again, he picked up the receiver and honed into the Trans Am's radio,  
"Party Poison, are you there? Can you hear me?"  
There was no reply.  
" _Party Poison_...!!"  
He then frowned, swallowing hard,  
"Um....I seem to have forgotten the rest of your _ridiculous_ names, so, any one of you, please answer!!"  
    Impatiently drumming his fingers on the counter, he let out a heavy sigh,  
"Or all of you, I'm not particularly picky. Just someone....answer, _please_."  
He received nothing but static. Slamming it back down on the radio, he reached up and ran his hands through his hair, glancing around the room,  
"All right, think. Think, think, think....there has got to be a way to reach them, but how....?"  
    Stepping back around the bar, he spotted a colorful racing bike parked by the door, and to this, he grinned,  
"Hello..."  
  
    ~ø~  
     
    Go-Go cocked her head to the side as she eyed him up and down; an longing look on her face,  
"It was so long ago, that day. Almost 15 years, now..."  
He swallowed hard as she gently traced her fingers along his cheek, the hollowness in her eyes making him uneasy. Her lips twitched into a smile,  
"You haven't changed. You're just as young as I remember...."  
She then frowned, then, noting the gun in his hand,  
"And still a Killjoy--"  
"Better then being Better Living's _bitch_."  
    She chuckled at that, her fingertips still dancing along his skin. Shaking her head, she took a step closer and felt him tense,  
"It's not a bad life, Party Poison. You just have to give it a chance. Imagine it...a world free of pain and suffering...no more tears...no more anger," she smiled, gazing deeply into his eyes,  
"I could show you..."  
    Go-Go drew closer, her lips a hair's-breadth from his,  
"You would like that...wouldn't you," the woman began, running her fingers along his cheek,  
"To feel safe again? To no longer have to run....have to fight to survive? You could be free from all of this."  
His eyes widened at her hushed whisperings; his finger quaking at the trigger.  
She continued, the faintest sound venom in her hiss,  
"Free from the fear...free from the suffering that comes with this life..."  
Her breath was hot as it hit his face.  
    She ran her hand up through the vibrant strands of his hair and he closed his eyes; briefly revelling in the softness of her touch. Her lips gently brushed against his and he frowned as she pulled him in.  
He wanted more than anything to let go and give in, but even so, he could not ignore the badge on her clothes. He tried to pull away, but she pulled him in closer; hand tangled tightly in his hair. As each moment passed, it grew harder to fight her. He nearly stopped trying.  
There was just one thing he just could not shake...  
  
 ** _The lingering taste of toxins on her tongue._**  
  
    She slowly pulled away as she felt the nozzle of his gun press against her gut; his breath hot and angry as he hissed,  
"I'd rather _die_."  
Taking a step back from him, she smiled again; her eyes devoid of emotion,  
"I see. Well, luckily for you...that can be arranged."  
She raised her sword, holding it in both hands as she charged toward him.  
    He quickly dodged as she brought the blade down, his eyes wide as he trained his gun on her. She came at him again; the steel of her sword clanging against his ray gun as he made to block her attack. Sparks flew and he gazed at her silently; a desperate look in his hazel eyes. She stared back at him blankly, her eyes like ice. With a growl, he tossed her away from him and she stumbled backward. As she regained her balance, she eyed the barrel of his gun trained at her head and smiled,  
"You won't do it."  
    He swallowed hard and cocked the pistol, his heart racing.  
"Poison!"  
Distracted by the distant shout, the neon-haired man glanced back briefly to see Kobra Kid standing at the door of the run down building and he straightened; turning just in time to watch Go-Go bring the gleaming katana down on his wrist. Letting out a yelp, he pulled back and clamped a hand down on throbbing gash in his arm. She took this opportunity to step forward, and with a quick shove, slammed him in the face with the butt of her sword.  
    Stumbling backward, he fell to the ground, landing flat on his back as his gun clattered away from him. Wincing, he turned his gaze back to her, blood oozing from beneath his hand as he struggled to sit up.  
The woman smiled at this and raised her sword above her head,  
"Goodbye."  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    The Doctor wobbled as he sped down the road; eyes narrowed as the wind violently whipped at his hair and clothes. The sun wasn't doing him any favours either, beaming down from high in the sky; practically blinding him. He raised an eyebrow curiously as he heard the sound of motorcycles behind him and glanced back; eyes widening. He was being followed by a pair of strange men wearing all white. Curiouser still were the monstrous looking masks they wore on their heads...  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    As the blade came down, Party Poison's eyes grew wide; a blur of red and black darting in front of him. Kobra Kid let out a yelp as the sword dug into his shoulder and fell to one knee. The woman smiled at this; her eyes widening, however, as the younger man suddenly reached up and pulled the sword out. Keeping a firm hold on it, he pulled her forward and kicked her in the stomach; causing her to lose grip of her weapon and stumble away.  
    The blonde man quickly turned back then and ran to Poison, yanking him up by the arm,  
"C'mon!"  
Hastily retrieving his fire arm, he pushed Kobra Kid in front of him and spun around to face Go-Go.  
His heart stopped. She was nowhere to be seen, and in her place stood a smiling, cherubic little angel.  
Poison's eyes widened,  
"Oh, shit."  
The blonde man turned back as well, eyes widening as he spotted a trio of them about ten yards away; each one snarling and baring it's teeth.  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    Go-Go grunted as she landed rather roughly in a patch of dried grass just off the dusty highway.  
Glancing up, she spotted a colourful motorcycle zipping past; it's rider wearing a rather bland, tweed suit. Two men dressed in white tore after him on bikes of their own; their faces hidden by the white masks they wore. Pulling herself up, she walked to the road, glaring after them silently.  
The wind was beginning to pick up.

A storm was coming.  
  
    ~ø~

"What do we do?"  
The angels seemed to have gotten closer in the passing moments, despite the fact that they had not taken their eyes off of them...save for blinking.  
"We don't blink, I guess."  
The blonde-haired man glanced over at him, eyes wide,  
"Don't fuck around."  
"I'm _not_ fucking around," Poison stated, keeping his eyes focused on the trio.  
    They now stood just feet from the cherub; teeth viciously gleaming while the little one seemed to snicker at them. He swallowed hard, nodding to the blonde man vigorously,  
"You should get going. Find the others, get back to the car, and get outta here--"  
"No way...not leaving you--"  
He winced, holding his shoulder tightly. The world was suddenly beginning to spin.  
    "Well, I'm not giving you a choice," Poison began sternly, eyes fixed on the angels,  
"You get the fuck outta here, now. I'm not telling you again, got it?"  
He received no reply. Frowning, he glanced cautiously, still trying to keep an eye on the statues,  
"Kid? You got that?"  
His eyes widened as he found Kobra Kid lying face down in the dirt behind him; blood pooling beneathe him from the wound in his shoulder.  
    Quickly, he hurried to the younger man's side, and upon rolling him over, patted gently at his face,  
"Kid!? Hey!! C'mon, now, wake up!"  
Swallowing hard, he glanced up to see that the angel statues were now mere feet from them.  
Taking a more protective stance over his unconscious comrade, Party Poison cursed and raised his gun. He fired a round at them; the bright pink lasers splashing harmlessly like water off of their marble bodies.  
His eyes widened. It was completely useless against them.  
He was helpless.


	7. Chapter 7

    **Catch Me If You Can**

    His mind was racing, now. There was nothing he could do. Carrying Kobra Kid would require looking away from them to pick him up. He could call to the others but that would put them in danger as well, especially Girl, and he absolutely could not afford to put her in harm's way.  
    Gazing up at them, he pulled Kobra Kid closer as he tried his best not to blink; the wind whipping a few strands of hair into his eyes.    He could hear the sound of rumbling motors coming closer and he swallowed hard. He didn't dare to take his eyes off the angels to check and see what it was.  
He didn't really need to.  
He knew already it had to be Dracs.  
    As it grew louder, he tensed, and blindly aimed his gun behind him; firing a shot.  
The sound of screeching tires hit the air and he heard a yelp; followed by shouting,  
"Would you watch where you fire that thing!?"  
Eyes wide, he glanced back to see the Doctor hustling toward them; a sigh of relief escaping him,  
"Doc!?"  
"The angels," the Doctor motion frantically, taking some kind of wand out of his pocket,  
"Party Poison, the angels!"  
Quickly, he turned back as he heard the sound of churning granite, and he straightened; pulling back as he was met with the statue's snarling face.  
    He swallowed hard, feeling the Doctor kneel down next to him,  
"Uh...a little help?"  
The Doctor waved the strange little wand at him, the oddest sound coming out of the contraption as he went to check it,  
"Oh, my...that _would_ do it, wouldn't it?" _  
_"Doc!"  
"Yes, of course," he exclaimed, motioning for Party Poison to scoot back,  
"Get him to safety, I'll keep an eye on them."  
"But I can't just leave you--"  
"I'll be fine, just get him out of here! Now!"  
    Quickly climbing to his feet, the fiery-haired man pulled Kobra Kid up; hoisting his arm over his shoulder as he ran back toward the building. The Doctor glared down the angel with contempt, his heart burning with rage. He clenched his fists tightly, her voice coming back to him once more, _  
'"Raggedy man...goodbye!"'  
_ "The battery farm not fill you up enough last time, eh," he began, his face twisting into a snarl that almost rivalled theirs,  
"Had to come back to ruin more people's lives?"  
    He took a step closer, glaring it right in the eyes as his voice lowered to a soft whisper,  
"You think you can just swoop into the desert and pick up a little snack on your way across the galaxy, well, I don't think so....not here. Not this time. Whatever it is you want with him, you're gonna have to go through me first. I've had it with you lot getting your way all the time....it ends here, do you understand?"  
The angel blankly stared back at him; it's jowls still frozen in place.  
    The sound of roaring engines filled his ears then, and he heard a shout from Party Poison, who now stood at the doorway, _  
"Doc! Let's go! C'mon!"  
_ Poison tensed as the motorcycles pulled around the building, and a pair of men in Dracula masks appeared. They fired on him as they clambered off of their bikes, missing and hitting the door frame instead. Quickly, he rushed inside with Kobra Kid, one of them following after him while the other started over to the Doctor.  
    The Doctor at this point, had begun to slowly back toward the bike, meeting the masked man halfway. The man snorted, aiming his gun at the Doctor with a snide tone,  
"All right, _Daddy Long Legs,_ put your hands where I can see'em."  
The Doctor glanced at him from the corner of his eye and nodded shortly, slowly raising his hands up,  
"Okay..."  
In a quick move, he aimed the sonic screwdriver at the masked man's gun; grinning as it sparked and popped. He then smiled and hurried back to the colourful bike awaiting him,  
"Have fun."  
    As he climbed on and started the bike, the man turned to him and tried to fire; confused when his gun refused to work.  
The Doctor revved the engine as he waved the sonic at the ignition. He then tore off in the opposite direction, heading back around the building as he left the masked man in the dust.  
    The man shook his head and started back toward his bike. Upon hearing the sound of grinding granite behind him, he turned, eying an angel statue looming behind him.  
His eyes widened as he first spotted it's outstretched hand. It hadn't been there a moment ago.  
He blinked at it curiously; puzzled as he opened his eyes to find himself standing in the middle of a very packed Hollywood Boulevard.  
It was a very strange thing because, one, he had just been standing in the middle of the desert, and two, Hollywood had been completely obliterated years ago.  
 _  
"The fuck?"  
  
    _ ~ø~  
     
    Party Poison stumbled and tripped down the long, darkened hallway; carrying Kobra Kid at his side. A bright green laser splashed against the wall nearby and he ducked around the corner. He carefully glanced around it; spotting the masked menace who had chased them inside. Drawing his gun up, he took aim, wincing as he pulled the trigger. The pink beam that shot forth missed its target by a longshot, and he cursed as he found the man's white gun trained on him.  
    At that moment, a vibrant, yellow beam came hurtling at the masked man; smashing straight into his chest. He fell backward, the blackened burn marks on his shirt smoking as he lie motionless on the filthy, tiled floor. _  
"Poison!"  
_ Party Poison raised his head to see Fun Ghoul and Jet Star striding quickly down the hall towards him; Ghoul with gun drawn. Girl clung tightly to Jet's hand as they approached, gasping as she spotted Kobra Kid.  
    Seeing the wound in the younger man's shoulder, Jet Star frowned,  
"What the hell happened!?"  
"Go-Go," Poison grunted, urgently nodding to Kobra Kid,  
"Take him."  
Jet Star quickly complied and slung Kobra Kid over his shoulder; straightening as he eyed the deep gash on the neon-haired man's arm.  
    Party Poison flinched as he tried to flex his right hand. He could barely move it, now.  
Sighing, he switched his gun to his left and rounded the corner toward Fun Ghoul,  
"Where are the kids?"  
Ghoul shook his head as he finished checking the masked man for a pulse and he stood; turning to him with a sigh,  
"Gone. The whole place is deser--"  
    He spotted blood dripping down from the wound in the man's arm, his eyes widening,  
"--ted."  
Party Poison flinched as he turned; nodding toward the entrance,  
"We should go. There's a hoard of angels outside...and no doubt more Dracs headed this way."  
He started forward; Jet Star hurrying after him with Kobra Kid.  
Fun Ghoul hung back a moment, glancing down at Girl with a sigh. She looked absolutely terrified.  
    With a reassuring pat on the head, he gave her a smile,  
"Hey, it's gonna be all right. Nothing's gonna happen to you, I promise."  
She nodded quietly, her eyes downcast. With a gentle prod, he ushered her down the hallway after the others; making sure to check for monsters around every turn.     
    _  
_ ~ø~  
  
    As they reached the outside, Party Poison straightened as the Doctor, now parked between them and the car, stood and marched toward him,  
"The 1940s, why?"  
He raised an eyebrow, grimacing as his arm began to throb, _  
_"What?"  
"The 1940s," the Doctor began, glancing around for signs of the angels,  
"You asked me on the TARDIS if I had ever been to the 1940s. Why!?"  
"Wha-Why are you asking me that _now_ ," Poison shouted back, shaking his head,  
"Does it look like the fucking _time_ for that shit to you?!"  
    The sound of roaring engines drew their attentions up the road. A black car, surrounded by a convoy of masked men on motorbikes, was headed straight for them.  
"I'm assuming these people are not friends of yours," the Doctor stated, noting the neon-haired man's ever tensing posture.  
"Get to the car, now," Poison shouted, hurrying to the driver's side.  
Jet Star quickly carried Kobra Kid to the passenger's side and carefully set him in the seat; buckling him in. He turned to the Doctor as Fun Ghoul ushered Girl into the backseat, his hazel eyes burning brightly,  
"When we get back to the Diner, do you think you can help Kobra Kid?"  
"About that," the Doctor began nervously, "I should tell you, I'm not that kind of doctor--" _  
_"Well, you might wanna _learn up,_ then," he snarled, eyes narrowed,  
"Cause the only way you're gonna get _shit_ out of me is if you can treat him. _Got it?"  
   _ "I don't think I like your tone," the Doctor frowned.  
"Too fucking bad," the red head hissed loudly,  
"You want answers, you'll get 'em...but only if you help Kid."  
The Doctor hesitated a moment, glancing back at the approaching motorcade,  
"I can try--"  
    "Do or do not," Poison interjected, glaring him straight in the eye,  
"There is no _try_!"  
The Doctor stared at him blankly a moment, then raised an eyebrow,  
"Did you just quote _Star Wars?"  
_ His gaze faltered slightly and he let out a cough; puffing his chest up a little,  
"I might have."  
He then turned sharply away, storming over to the driver's side door,  
"But that ain't the point here, _Doc_..."  
As he reached the car, he turned back briefly, catching the Doctor's stare,  
"You heal him...'else all you'll be gettin' outta me is a laser right between those beady eyes a'yours. We clear?"  
"I don't take kindly to threats, Party Poison."  
"Good," the ruby-haired man stated, climbing into the driver's seat,  
"'Cause that ain't no threat....it's a fucking _promise_."  
    Slamming the door shut, he revved the engine and sped off; the Doctor swallowing hard as he glanced back down the road. Quickly sonicking the engine, he sped off after the boys; the small armada of monotone following closely behind them.

~ø~  
  
    Fun Ghoul swallowed hard as he swivelled in his seat, spotting the black car zooming up fast,  
"He's right behind us, P."  
Shuffling around for his gun, Party Poison winced as he reached back; offering it to him,  
"Then, ghost that fucker."  
The raven-haired man nodded and took quickly took it; rising from his seat. Popping up through the roof, he first spotted the Doctor and motioned for him to move. He didn't seem to take the hint.  
    Fun Ghoul cursed as a hand popped out from the window of the black car; a white hot laser whizzing past his head. Sighing, he aimed both his and Poison's guns at the car and fired; narrowly missing the Doctor in the process. The shots hit the headlights of the vehicle, blowing them out with two loud 'pops'. The Doctor's eyes widened as Fun Ghoul took aim again and he shook his head,  
"What the _hell_ are you doing!?"  
    Two more shots came from Ghoul's pistols; this time hitting the car's side mirrors. The Doctor sped up, at this; soon pulling up next to the Trans Am. He turned, eyes widened as he shouted at the neon-haired driver,  
"You're liable to kill someone, shooting those things like that!!"  
"Well, yeah, Doc," Poison shot back; his voice barely audible over the loud music blaring from their radio,  
"That's kind of the _point_!!"  
The Doctor straightened at this and glanced back at the black car. Fun Ghoul was continuing to fire on them relentlessly; leaving burn marks along the bumper.  
    Narrowing his eyes, the Doctor pulled back and took aim with the screwdriver; waving it at the entourage of masked men. The bikes, as well as the sleek black car, came sputtering to a stop; allowing them to quickly pull away. As they came to a halt, two men emerged from the black car; one  similarly dressed to the others, and the other, a taller man in a long coat.  
His Dracula-faced cohort turned to him; voice nasal and questioning,  
"Who the fuck was that, Boss?"  
    Watching them pull off into the distance, the man narrowed his eyes, his bald head gleaming in the dying sun, _  
_"I don't know."  
"Should we go after 'em?"  
A boom of thunder rang out, and he shook his head,  
"No...let them run for now....while they still have the _legs_ to run with."  
"What about their nerdy friend?"  
They got back in the car, the masked man starting the car as his superiour glared down the road,  
"We can ask _her_ about him. She was one of _them_ once..."  
  
    ~ø~ _  
  
'"Surely, **she** will know something..."'  
  
    _ They came to a quick stop as they reached the diner; Party Poison hopping out first,  
"How's he doin', Jet?"  
Opening the passenger side door, he could see that Kobra Kid was still unconscious and that the blood from his wound was already soaking through the handkerchief Jet Star had pressed to it.  
Jet Star shook his head with a sigh,  
"Not lookin' good, P."  
    Helping him out of the car, the two men began carrying him back toward the Diner. Poison glanced back as he heard the sound of a motorbike behind them and handed Kobra off to the helmeted man,  
"You got him?"  
"Yeah..."  
A crack of thunder rang loudly overhead and Girl let out a frightened squeak; Fun Ghoul ushering her toward the door,  
"It's okay, sweet pea, get inside." _  
_ They passed the neon-haired man on the way in, Ghoul frowning,  
"Poison, you comin'?"  
"In a minute," he replied shortly.  
He seemed angry.  
Nodding, the dark-headed man hurried inside.  
    As the Doctor pulled to a stop, he hopped off the bike; Poison glaring him down,  
"The hell was that back there, Doc?"  
"I was about to ask you the same question, actually," the Doctor snipped, straightening his bowtie,  
"You tried to _kill_ those people--"  
"And _you_ saved them--"  
"And what was _wrong_ with that--" _  
"EVERYTHING!!"  
    _ Party Poison shook his head, his eyes wide and nose flaring in anger,  
"You can't just come in here and start _impeding_ on our way of life when you don't know a _fucking_ thing about it!"  
The Doctor frowned at this, his voice low and soft,  
"Violence is _never_ the answer, Party Poison--" _  
_"THEN TELL THAT TO _**THEM**_ ," Poison shrieked back, coming within inches of the Doctor's face,  
"Tell that to those fucking _pigs_ who come out here and try to wipe us off the map every _FUCKING_ day, Doc! Because that's what _they_ do! It's either _us_ or _them_! Not because we want it this way...but because _THEY_ do!" _  
_ Stepping back, he took a deep breath and wiped his mouth; turning for the door,  
"Now, you might wanna get inside. It's about to rain."  
The Doctor gazed after the man; eyes narrowed as he glanced up at the darkening sky,  
"A little rain never hurt anyone."  
Party Poison snorted at this, shaking his head,  
"Suit yourself."  
   The Doctor frowned as he watched Poison walk away, calling after him with a tone of disappointment,  
"I thought this was supposed to be America."  
The fiery-haired man turned to him with a scowl, remaining silent as he continued,  
"Land of the free, home of the brave...not home of the _ignorant_ and ready to _slay_."  
Poison was silent for a moment. He then shook his head, letting out a soft chuckle,  
"You're one to _talk_. You think you're so high and mighty cause you fell out of the clouds in your stupid box, and you know what? Maybe you _are_. But you try watching your whole life burn down around you...bombs dropping, bodies flying. _Your_ family, your _friends_... **dead**. You try living through all that, Doc. Then, you come talk to me about _ignorance_...I'll be happy to listen."  
Turning on his heel, he stormed inside, leaving the Doctor to his thoughts.  
With a sigh, the Doctor bowed his head,"  
"You're right," he muttered softly, keeping his head low,  
"...I _am_ one to _talk_." _  
_ After another moment, the Doctor shook his head and started inside. A stinging feeling hit his skin then and he yelped; watching a droplet of water splash onto his hand. It began to burn and sting; the skin around it turning bright red. He quickly ran for the door, the downpour nearly catching up to him as he ran,  
"Ow, ow, ow!!"  
He burst through the door, slamming it behind him with a twirl,  
"That rain is _highly_ acidic, did you know that? And I don't mean on a _normal_ level, I mean, it _burns...!_ Did you know...?"  
    Upon realising that they weren't listening to him, he coughed, straightening his coat,  
"Right, you probably did."  
Kobra let out a groan of pain as Jet Star continued to press down on the wound; shaking his head,  
"It's not letting up, P." _  
Fun Ghoul frowned as he watched Party Poison pace the floor; saying nothing._ Girl bit her lip as she eyed the blood oozing through Jet Star's handkerchief and turned to the Doctor; a pleading expression on her face,  
"Can't _you_ do something? Aren't you a doctor?"  
    The Doctor straightened at this and briefly glanced at Party Poison; who refused to look at him,  
"I'm not _actually._.."  
He glanced back down at Girl, a sigh escaping him as hurried over to them,  
"Let me have a look...I'll see what I can do." _  
  
- **A short while later...-**  
  
    _ The Doctor sighed as he pulled back from Kobra Kid; cutting loose the needle and thread he had acquired from the folds of his coat,  
"There. Not my best work, but it's all I can do for now."  
Fun Ghoul grinned, shaking his head as he watched the man place the items back in his pocket,  
"You're a regular _Mary Poppins_ , huh?"  
    With a smile, the Doctor stood with a nod,  
"Yes...I have been called that before..."  
He then frowned,  
"By _me,_ come to think of it."  
Shaking his head, he turned around, eying the neon-haired man now sitting at the bar,  
"And now, seeing as I did what you asked...I think it's time you did the same for me." _  
_ "And that would be _what_?"  
Party Poison replied; an annoyed tone in his voice.  
The Doctor frowned,  
"Why did you ask me about the 1940s?"  
    Slowly swivelling about on the stool, Party Poison narrowed his eyes and shook his head,  
"Because I'm an _enthusiast_."  
"Really, is _that_ all?"  
Helping Jet Star carry Kobra Kid over to a makeshift bed, Fun Ghoul watched in confusion as the Doctor glided over to their leader and waved a glowing, motorised stick at him.  
"Because I think you're _lying_ ," the Doctor began, sighing deeply,  
"And do you want to know _why_ I think you're lying?"  
    Party Poison raised an eyebrow as the Doctor turned said stick in his direction, a small panel on it's side revealing a script he couldn't decipher,  
"What do you think this says, Party Poison?"  
The neon-haired man shrugged, a smirk crossing his lips, _  
_" _You're a wizard, Harry?_ " _  
_ The Doctor shook his head at that and looked down at it himself,  
"Cute, but no," he began, shaking it in his hand,  
"This tells me that someway, somehow, you've become a factory for _time energy._ It radiates off of you like a _bad cologne,_ so potent that the stench can be picked up all the way across the galaxy. And its telling me that it has, _in fact,_ been picked up by the most ravenous creatures in the universe, so I really think _now_ would be a good time to start talking..."  
    Girl frowned as she took a spot next to Kobra Kid; watching quietly as Fun Ghoul took a step toward them,  
"What are you talking about, Doc? What time energy?"  
"That which the angels _feed_ on, I told you earlier," he sighed, continuing to stare Poison down,  
"The reason they are here."  
    Jet Star frowned, shaking his head,  
"And that stick makes you think Poison's got it? This energy stuff?"  
"It tells me he does," the Doctor began, turning to Jet Star with a whine,  
"And it's not a _stick,_ it's a _screwdriver_ , honestly...!"  
      "So, you asked him about the 40s," Fun Ghoul inquired, nodding to the red head,  
"So, what? What's that gotta do with anything?"  
" _Everything,_ actually," the Doctor began, pulling the photo out of his coat pocket. Poison swallowed hard,  
"Where'd you get that?" _  
_"You dropped it earlier, during your little visit," he donned his glasses and flicked the image,  
"Curious, how the man in the photo looks exactly like you."  
"Oh, _gee_ , does he, Doc?" _  
_"Are you related somehow?" _  
_"No, _really._ "  
"You know, you can drop the sarcasm, _Party Poison_ ," the Doctor growled, peering over the edge of the photo at the younger man,  
"The cat's out of the bag." _  
_Letting out an aggravated growl, Party Poison rolled his eyes and pulled the aged journal from his waistband, handing it over.  
The Doctor took it gently in his hand, nodding as he looked at it,  
"Ahh, a journal. What's in it?"  
Party Poison glanced down at the Doctor began to thumb through it, shaking his head,  
"Scribbles. Just scribbles."  
"Written by the man in the photograph... _Mike Milligram_ , I presume?"  
    Poison shrugged,  
"Yeah, so...?"  
"And you're named after him?"  
"I'm sorry--" _  
_"You, your name," the Doctor nodded to him,  
"Your real and _proper_ name. It's Mike Milligram, isn't it? After him?"  
    The red head straightened uncomfortably; cracking his neck with a cough,  
"Erm...so? What's that got to do with anything?"  
The Doctor's eyes lit up at that, and he smiled,  
"Well, that's _cool_! _Mike Milligram_! That's a _cool_ name! Much better than _Party Poison,_ that's for certain! Why don't you go by _that_? Sounds a bit like a secret agent...or a _rock star_ , even! Not nearly as bad as the _chippendale_ name you've got now--"  
"Your _point_ , Doc. Get. To the point!"  
    "Yes, yes, the point, the point," he began, standing up as he snatched the journal away from the fiery-haired man,  
"My point _is..._ this journal may contain the answers we need, Michael...can I call you that? _Michael?_ Do you mind if I call you that?" _  
_" _Extremely,_ " Party Poison snarled, his eyes burning as he glared at the man.  
The Doctor laughed a little at that, his eyebrows twitching upward as he smiled,  
" _Michael_ , it is, then."  
    Party Poison rolled his eyes at that; rubbing his face in his palms with an aggravated groan as the Doctor paced back and forth in front of the door,  
"Just what kind of answers are we talkin', Doc?"  
The Doctor shook his head as he licked his fingers, thumbing through quickly,  
"Well, I don't know, let's see here...."  
    His face soon turned as white as a sheet as he opened to one of the centre pages,  
"Michael...how much of this have you read?"  
Party Poison straightened at that, glancing over to Fun Ghoul briefly,  
"What do you mean?"  
"This journal," he continued, his voice becoming increasingly more panicked as he spoke,  
"H-h-how much of it have you read? Since you've had it in your possession," he flew back over to him, waving the journal in his face,  
"How much have you read?"  
    Party Poison snatched it back from him, shaking his head quickly,  
"I dunno! _All_ of it! I've had it ever since the fires...and 7 years is a _long_ time without Wi-Fi."  
"No, no, no," the Doctor began, marching back and forth across the floor as he anxiously pulled at his hair,  
"No, no! That's not good. That's not good at all! Not! Good!" _  
_"Tell me about it," Poison snorted, shaking his head,  
"I haven't checked my _Twitter_ in forever. It's been fuckin' hell." _  
_"I'm not talking about the bloody _INTERNET_ ," the Doctor snapped, eyes wide as he spun back around; glaring Poison down,  
"I'M TALKING ABOUT THAT _JOURNAL_!!"  
    Clasping his hands together, he shook his head, gazing into Party Poison's eyes,  
"Are you certain you read all of it? Every page? Every word?"  
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure."  
He then smiled and opened it up, thumbing through the pages,  
"There's one in here that's _real_ dirty, too.  About the night he met my grandma. Apparently, he fucked her in the back of one of the Jeeps--" _  
"_ Oh, _please_ , don't say that..."  
    "Why not," he glanced up as the noticed the Doctor turning a bit green,  
"What's wrong?"  
Swallowing hard, he glanced at the three on the other side of the room and coughed,  
"Because...there's a chance....an _off_ chance that..."  
Poison raised an eyebrow, shaking his head,  
"That _'what',_ Doc?"  
    He coughed, nervously adjusting his bowtie,  
"There's a chance that journal....may _not_ exactly...have belonged to your grandfather."  
The red head frowned.  
The Doctor swallowed again, staring back silently.  
After a moment, a light bulb seemed to click on in Party Poison's head and his hazel eyes grew very wide.

_  
**"OH FUCK, NO."**   
_


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Added a scene at the end. Though, having read through the synopsis for Killjoys Issue 4, I have a feeling this fic is going to be an AU of an AU. lol  
>  _AU-CEPTION._  
>  _AN AU IN AN AU._  
>  _ **WE HAVE TO STRAY FURTHER.**_

** The Mystery of Mike Milligram **

"No," Party Poison began, shooting up from the bar stool as he shook his head fiercely,  
"No, no, no, no, no, NO."  
He looked to the Doctor in horror and disgust; unable to maintain eye contact for very long,  
"You did not just...I'm not...that's....no! No--"  
"The writing in here," the Doctor began, awkwardly clearing his throat,  
"Would--ehm... _allude_ to the possibility--"  
" _NO._ "  
    "What? Poison, what's he talking about," Fun Ghoul frowned, shaking his head in confusion.  
"The fuck do you _think_ he's talkin' about," the neon-haired man shrieked, clamping his hands over his face.  
He then let out a long breath, glaring at the Doctor angrily,  
"You're _sick_ , Doc."  
"I'm only stating what I see," the lanky man replied softly,  
"And believe me when I say, it's rather unusual for time to be this.... _creepy_."  
    "I AM NOT. _FUCKING_. **_MY GRANDMOTHER_**."  
Party Poison shouted, his nostrils flaring as his face turned as red as his hair.  
A collective sound of disgust echoed back from the other three; Ghoul shaking his head as he glanced back and forth between the two men,  
"Dude, what? That is so gross!!"  
"I said, I'm _not_ gonna," Poison stammered, turning to the others sharply,  
"I'm not. _He's_ wrong."  
    He shook his finger at the Doctor, his stomach beginning to churn,  
"You're _wrong_. I'm gonna _yark_..."  
"Michael, please, you're not making this any easier--"  
"And STOP calling me MICHAEL," the neon-haired man fumed, grabbing fistfuls of his hair as he paced the floor,  
"MY NAME IS _PARTY POISON_."  
    He marched to the other end of the room and turned to face the window.  
A few tensely, awkward moments passed until finally, the Doctor cleared his throat,  
"Well, this is clearly a _delicate_ situation..."  
"If you say one more fuckin' thing about me boning my grandma..."  
"Okay, okay," the Doctor sighed deeply, waving him down.  
    He stood, taking the book from the counter as he started toward the door,  
"I'll just take this to the TARDIS, then...to analyse it. If you have a piece of your handwriting I can compare--"  
"Don't waste your fuckin' time," Poison quickly interjected,  
"I didn't write that shit."  
To this, the Doctor nodded and turned to leave,  
"Yes...of course, you didn't..."  
    Jet Star raised an eyebrow as he opened the door, a concerned look on his face,  
"Whoa, where are you going?"  
"Back to the TARDIS," the Doctor began,  
"Just like I told you."  
"But it's _raining_."  
The long-legged man nodded, glancing outside briefly,  
"Yes, I _am_ aware of that. Thank you..."  
    He pulled the sonic screwdriver from his pocket and waved it at them with a wink, then stepped outside. The three of them crowded the window to watch as he walked right into the downpour; Girl letting out a gasp as the rain seemed to part around him as though he were holding an umbrella,  
"Wow..."  
Fun Ghoul giggled, his eyes widening at the spectacle,  
"Holy shit, maybe he _is_ a wizard."  
    As the Doctor reached the TARDIS door, however, the light on the little device blinked out and the trio heard him let out a yelp of pain. They cackled as he frantically rushed inside of the box, Girl glancing back at Party Poison,  
"What a _jackass_... right, Poison?"  
Her smile fell as the neon-haired man remained silent; keeping his eyes locked on the rain pattering against the window.  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    He marched down the pristinely white hallway; passing numerous offices in silence. As he reached the end of the hall, he spotted a younger woman in a grey, dress suit; her bobbed, raven hair gently whipping her cheek as she spun to face him. The lights gleamed off of his bald head as he turned his eyes to her,  
"Where is the prisoner?"  
    The raven-haired woman turned sharply and lead him further down the hall, clipboard in hand,  
"This way, sir."  
They approached a lone, white door as they rounded the corner; the woman turning to him as they reached it,  
"She spent most of today in isolation. She refuses to take her medication."  
"Troublesome."  
"Very," she began, opening said door. They entered a dark room, one with a long, observation window.  
    Beyond the glass, a woman looking to be somewhere in her late 40s or early 50s, sat at a steel table; her long frazzled hair hanging low about her face.  
She turned back to him with a forced smile,  
"Don't worry. I think you can break her."  
He smiled in return,  
"Oh, I _know_ I can..."  
  
    ~ø~      
      
    The Doctor sighed deeply as he fidgeted with the monitor, searching through an entire database of old photographs and files. Each entry had one thing in common.  
Mike Milligram.  
    Putting on his spectacles, he skimmed through the records and documents; soon happening upon a small biography,  
" _Sgt. Michael 'P.' Milligram_ , aged _31_...1st Infantry Division....stormed the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944....Current status - _INACTIVE_ ," he rolled his eyes with a nod,  
"Well, _obviously_..."  
    He flipped through a few more documents, soon stumbling upon a marriage license,  
"Rite of matrimony between _Michael P. Milligram and Beverly Ann Spence_ , solemnised by _Jacob Spence,_ on _August 14th, 1945_...."  
A smile flitted across his lips.  
    Another flick of his wrist and he came upon a final document; one that chilled him to his very core,  
"Registry of admittance for _Michael P. Milligram_ to Stockton State Hospital....for the symptoms _dementia praecox (schizophrenia)_....on this day, _December 21st, 1945_."  
Swallowing hard, he glanced over at the journal lying on the TARDIS console. With a deep breath, he began to reach for it; jumping at the sound of a knock on the door.  
    Quickly, he trotted over to the door, book in hand, and cautiously opened it a sliver. He was met with the angry, hazel eyes of Party Poison, to which he seemed surprised,  
"I thought it was _raining_."  
"It _quit_ about an hour ago," the red head groaned, pushing at the door a bit,  
"Now, are you gonna let me in or what?"  
    He shoved it open, nearly knocking the Doctor over as he stormed inside. To this, the Doctor cleared his throat; noting that it was now night outside,  
"I suppose you didn't come here for a _bedtime_ story--"  
"Where the fuck is my book? I want it back."  
"Oh, yes," the Doctor nodded, offering him the journal,  
"I have it right here."  
    Party Poison snatched it quickly from his hands, flipping through it as he turned away from the bespectacled Time Lord. The Doctor cleared his throat,  
"So, how's Kobra Kid doing?"  
"He's fine. Still sleepin'."  
The room became silent. After a moment, the Doctor sighed and shook his head,  
"That woman you were fetching supplies for... _Gravel Gertie_? I heard she died....sorry."  
"How," Poison growled, frowning in confusion,  
"You've been cooped up in here all fuckin' day."  
"Well, I _do_ have a radio, you know."  
    He waved the sonic screwdriver in the air, and suddenly, the control room flooded with the sound of guitars,  
 ** _'"We got a medical emergency, a medical emergency. We got a medical emergency, a medical--"'_**  
"Personally, I find the music here a bit _rubbish_ ," the lanky man continued, waving the screwdriver a second time to silence the noise,  
"Not nearly as good as _Joplin_ \--"  
"You watch your _fuckin'_ mouth, Doc."  
Poison grumbled, the smile he'd acquired from hearing Mad Gear reverberating around the TARDIS turning to a dark scowl at the Doctor's words.  
    To this, the Doctor swallowed hard and quickly went back to the original topic,  
"You were close, I assume....you and _Miss Gertie_?"  
"Yeah....that Gertie....she was somethin' else," Poison grinned, scratching his head with a sigh,  
"Looked after all the little tumbleweeds...even Girl for a while. Until the Oracle told her to give her over to us."  
" _The Oracle_?"  
"Yeah," he nodded, wiping his nose shortly,  
"Nobody knows where she came from. She just kinda showed up one day. Told Gertie that Girl was gonna save the world and that she needed protection. Asked for us specifically."  
"Strange," the Doctor began, frowning,  
"Where's this _Oracle_ now?"  
    Party Poison shook his head,  
"Dunno. She disappeared a while ago. Probably got dusted."  
To this, the Doctor nodded solemnly,  
"Oh, I see...and sorry about your _girlfriend_ , too, by the way. What was her name? _Go-Go_?"  
    The red head snorted at that, shaking his head with a sigh,  
"She _wasn't_..."  
"But you two were rather _close_ , were you not?"  
Party Poison remained silent; keeping his eyes locked on the floor.  
    The Doctor cleared his throat after a moment or two, nodding to the journal in Poison's grasp,  
"Michael...about your great grandfather--"  
"If this is gonna just turn into another discussion of how you think my _grandma_ and I had mad, passionate, crazy, _monkey sex_ , then I'll just see myself out--"      
    He started back toward the door, the Doctor quickly jumping in his way,  
"No! No, no, no, no, it's not! I swear! It's not!"  
Party Poison raised an eyebrow to this, eying the Doctor incredulously. Straightening, the Doctor offered a smile and motioned two X's over his chest,  
"Cross my hearts."  
    Taking a deep breath, Party Poison licked his lips and shrugged; turning back for the console,  
"Fine, whatever..."  
He walked to the railing and leaned against it, quietly watching the Doctor fiddle with the controls,  
"You know," he began, bringing the monitor over to him as he adjusted his spectacles,  
"You're taking things rather _incredibly_ for someone who just met an _extraterrestrial_ being."  
Poison shook his head in confusion; tucking a few strands of hair behind his ear,  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well," the Doctor began, tapping at the monitor rather quickly as he spoke,  
"You see a flying blue box barrelling full speed toward your car out in the middle of virtually nowhere, you follow it's path and see a strange man," he turned and gave him a short wave,  
"That would be me-- pop out of it and explain to you that he's trying to make it to tea, not a date, with Charlie Chaplin, and not only do you help him in his endeavour to get said box upright, but you believe him when he tells you that it's bigger on the inside without having seen it first hand....no questions asked. And again just now," he motioned the pair of X's across his chest again, a smile on his face,  
"I said, _'Cross my hearts'_...and you said _'whatever'_. It's as if you already know all there is to know about me...as if we've met before."  
    Party Poison shrugged and waved the journal at him,  
"Well, yeah...in a way, I guess..."  
The Doctor raised an eyebrow at him, a smug look on his face. Quickly shaking his head, Party Poison flipped through the pages and snorted,  
"Not cause it's _me_ in here...! Look, I've been reading this thing since I was a _kid_. My grandpa kept it in his sock drawer. Every time I'd go over and pay him a visit, I'd sneak a look at it. He didn't really..."  
    He trailed off briefly and took a deep breath; scratching his head again. After a moment, he looked to the Doctor, and shrugged,  
"He didn't really _care_ for his old man. And I don't blame him. The guy was...he was a _nut job_."  
The Doctor frowned, glancing at the book in the young man's hands,  
"You don't sound too certain of that sentiment...."  
    The neon-haired man snorted,  
"Well, I don't really know _what_ to think of him anymore...considering..."  
He motioned to the Doctor; who nodded shortly. With a laugh, Party Poison shook his head and started around the console, glancing up at the ceiling,  
"Nobody really liked him in my family.... _Old Man Milligram_ , I mean, not my grandpa. They _loved_ him. But Milligram...? _Nah_. The only person who loved _him_ was Grandma Bev. From what my grandpa said, she used to go on and on about him...like he was the _greatest_ fucking thing since sliced bread. Even after he got thrown in the loony bin, she _still_ fuckin' loved him."  
    "So, you know about that, then," the Doctor queried nervously.  
Poison nodded,  
"Oh, yeah. They thought he had schizophrenia or some shit, cause he started seein' things. Really weird shit, y'know? Like in that Russell Crowe movie. They said he got super paranoid just before they threw him away, too...like something was coming to get him. "  
"Did you think that, too?"  
Party Poison shook his head,  
"Not really. From what they said about him...it just doesn't add up..."  
"Oh," the Doctor began, smiling as he folded his arms across his chest,  
"And what is it that makes you think that?"  
    The red head shrugged,  
"I dunno, really. Just had a gut feeling."  
"A _gut_ feeling....?"  
"Yeah," he continued, scratching his head a little,  
"Growing up, I always had this kind of... _empathy_ for him. Dunno why. Just did...."  
Glancing up, he eyed the way that the Doctor was staring at him and narrowed his eyes,  
" _Don't_."  
The Doctor coughed, shaking his head as he put up his hands innocently,  
"I wasn't _going_ to!"  
Clearing his throat, he began to circle the console, hands behind his back,  
"Anyway, moving on. You said you've read the entire journal, correct? Well, what's the date in which the entries start?"  
    He opened the book with a sigh,  
"Uh...it's starts on June 22nd, 1940."  
"That's in a few days...all right, then," the Doctor began, sighing deeply as he scoured the records,  
"So, your great grandfather joins the army in 1940, gets promoted to Sergeant about a week before the Normandy landings, successfully leads his troops to victory, comes back home, marries his sweetheart, and then gets admitted to Stockton State Hospital in December of '45. What for?"  
    Party Poison stared at him blankly, shaking his head,  
"What do you mean, 'what for'? I just fuckin' told you they thought he was schizophrenic--"  
"No, no, no, I mean his _symptoms_ ," the Doctor began,  
"Think, can you remember any of the things he wrote down? What he was _seeing_? _Why_ he was paranoid? _Anything_?"  
The neon-haired man coughed and quickly shook his head,  
"No, uh...not really--"  
" _Michael_ \--"  
"Not word for word," the red-head sighed, flipping the book open to about midway through,  
"But I can just look it up, right here--"  
" _NO_!"  
He jumped as the Doctor quickly reached over and grabbed the book; slapping it shut,  
"No, no, don't read it again."  
"Why not? The answers would be in here, right? Maybe it'll tell us something?"  
    "Because," he sighed, shaking his head as he waved the book at the neon-haired man,  
"Everything we read in this journal is a fixed point. It cannot be changed or altered once it's already been seen."  
"Lucky for us it's the _past_ , Doc," Poison began, shaking his head with a worried smile,  
"It's already _happened_."  
"Not to _you_ , Michael."  
The Doctor sighed as he looked into the younger man's hazel eyes; his fair, nearly invisible eyebrows furrowing together in a point,  
"It hasn't happened to _you_ , not yet."  
Letting out a groan, the red head bowed his head and snorted disdainfully,  
"Jesus Christ-"  
"Like it or _not_ , this journal, the things you've read? This, right here," the Doctor insisted, lightly touching his fingers to the journal,  
"Everything points to you. This is your future. Since you've already read it, there is little I can do. All we can hope for is that you missed something on the first read through, maybe you skimmed a few pages here and there...that we can CHANGE something, _anything_ -"  
Party Poison rolled his eyes at this and turned away from him; shaking his head as he silently started for the door.  
    The Doctor straightened as he watched the man leave; calling after him,  
" _Michael_ -!"  
"No way. He _wasn't_ me. Milligram was a fucking nut job, and not because some crack pot doctor decided to slap a half-assed diagnosis down on a piece of paper to make himself feel accomplished. Know how?"  
As he reached the door, he eyed the Doctor up and down, shaking his head,  
"'Cause after everything they did for him..after all _she_ went through...that fucker _**walked out** _ on the _best_ thing he ever had without a _second_ thought and I would _never_ fucking do that. _That's_ how I know."  
Spinning on his heel, he promptly stormed out, slamming the door shut behind him.  
Sighing deeply, the Doctor turned back toward the monitor; eying a picture on the screen of a small band in olive dress uniforms. A USO banner hung behind them. He kept focus on the man at the centre of the photograph; a man who looked suspiciously like the one who had just left.

  ~ø~  
  
    He sighed as he stepped into the bright white room, eying the middle-aged woman seated at the steel table in the centre. Closing the door behind him, he circled her slowly, like a vulture would its prey,  
"All right, madam...you have my attention."  
She watched him cautiously through stormy, brown eyes, saying nothing; the lights catching the greying strands in her long curling locks.  
    To this, he nodded, sighing deeply,  
"They call you ' _The Oracle_ ', yes? You, the one who wrote about the _child_ who will save mankind..."  
She turned her gaze to the table, remaining silent.  
"The one who will save the future, yes...that was you," he continued, his bald head gleaming in the light of fluorescent bulbs,  
"....but you also wrote about something else... _someone_ else for that matter."  
He laid a white folder down on the table and opened it, revealing a series of papers bearing crudely drawn pictures,  
"The magic man...with the blue box."  
    He tapped his finger on the picture, a drawing of a man wearing a bowtie, and focused his intense stare on her,  
"Who is he?"  
She bit her lip and shook her head.  
His face tightened as he leaned down into her face, glaring her in the eye,  
"Madam....I only wish to help the citisens of Battery City. If this man with the blue box is a threat....then I suggest you tell me. Now, I'll ask you again. Who is this man?"  
She again, shook her head and turned her gaze away from him.  
With an aggravated growl, he smacked his hand on the table, causing her to jump,  
"WHO IS HE!?!"  
    Tears in her eyes, she whimpered softly to herself as she gazed at the folder,  
"Please...I just want my baby. Please...."  
Rolling his eyes in annoyance, he pulled away from the table and turned to leave, the woman begging and pleading as he slammed the door shut,  
"I just want my baby!! PLEASE!!"  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    Party Poison sighed deeply as he sat at the bar of the darkened Diner; the others having gone to sleep a while ago. Thunder rumbled in the distance. Another storm was coming in.  
He stood and stretched, strolling over to the bench where Kobra Kid lay. Kneeling down at the younger man's head, he sighed and smiled slightly,  
"Hey, you...whatch'a dreamin' about, huh?"  
    Kid made no reply.  
Nodding shortly, he licked his lips and patted him on the forehead; rising up slowly. He watched him sleeping for a moment, keeping time with the steady rise and fall of his chest, and bowed his head in thought.  
  
     _'"C'MON!!"'_  
  
 _\--_  
  
 _He ran to him in a hurry, quickly grabbing the boy by the collar of his shirt and dragging him to his feet. Pulling him along, the two narrowly escaped being crushed by a burning billboard. They hurried, as fast their legs would go, to a nearby car--a 1979 Pontiac Trans Am whose pristine, white exterior was now tarnished by smoke. Prying open the door, he pulled the car's deceased driver out from behind the wheel and glanced inside, smiling with relief. The key was still in the ignition._  
 _He climbed in; motioning for the boy to do the same,_  
 _"Get in!"_  
 _Fearfully, the boy nodded and hurried over to the passenger side. As he shut the door, the car jerked into motion, and he quickly buckled his seat belt. They drove on down the street, the horrific nightmare of what used to be Los Angeles whizzing past in a blur at 70mph._  
 _"Where are we going?"_  
 _He glanced over at the boy, who could not have been any older than 15, and forced a smile,_  
 _"Some place that ain't burning."_  
  
 _\--_  
  
    Shaking his head, Party Poison walked over to his makeshift bed in the corner- a dusty, blue tarp and a thread-bare blanket- and took off his jacket. Folding it up, he placed it behind his head and laid back, gazing blankly up at the ceiling. After a moment or two, he became restless and pulled the journal out from under his jacket. He opened it to a random page; briefly reading over the entry,  
  
     ** _'January 26th, 1944.  
D-Day is a little more than 5 months away. Am I scared? Fuck, no! I already know what's gonna happen. But there is something that's been eating at me....something that's been haunting me for 4 years, now._**  
 ** _The journal didn't warn me about this...and now, it won't leave me alone._**  
 ** _That thing would be you._**  
 ** _You, Jet, Ghoul, and Girl._**  
 ** _I miss you so fucking much.'_**  


    Slowly and quietly, he clapped the book shut and hugged it to his chest.  
With a sigh, he rose from the bed and went over to the radio behind the counter. Swallowing hard, he picked up the receiver and turned the dials to station 5. An earful of static was there to great him.  
Frowning, he placed the receiver to his lips and clicked in,  
"Cola, you up?"

    ~ø~

 _ **"Co...?"  
**_ He groaned at the sound of a statick-y voice, stirring as it grew clearer,  
 _ **"Hey! Mistah Lovah Lovah! You got your ears on?"  
**_ Gasping loudly, he jumped up, a few strands of greying, dirty-blonde hair falling in his face,  
"That voice...that sounds like...!"  
Frantically, he began scouring the dusty room for the radio, a crazed look in his brown eyes.  
He'd been searching for so long...could it really be?  
"Phantoms singing through dead channels..."  
    The voice continued to prattle on mindlessly, crackling and popping as it surfed the airwaves,  
 _ **"Listen, if your busy with a bot or somethin' I can dial back later...or join you. You know I'm up for that..."**_  
The man paused briefly and made a disgusted face at that, shaking his head with a groan,  
"That's him, all right..."  
Finally tracking down the source, he picked up the receiver and swallowed hard,  
"Poison? Is that you?"

    ~ø~

    "Who else would be hitting you up so late, _sugar tits_ ," the red head grinned, leaning over on the counter,  
"Unless," his smile fell slightly,  
"There's somethin' you wanna tell me."  
He then straightened, dropping his voice to a mockingly hurt tone as he pressed a hand to his heart,  
"Tell me straight, Cola...am I...am I the _other woman_?"  
He smirked as he heard the man snicker on the other end.

    ~ø~

    "God, I missed you..."  
The man shook his head as he ran a shaking hand through his hair. Tears fell from his eyes as a smile plastered itself to his face. Poison's voice came through over the com, thoroughly confused,  
 _ **"I just saw you three days ago. You really miss me that much?"  
**_ He coughed shortly, glancing around in surprise,  
"Three days...? Oh...oh, right, yeah! Sorry! I just...a lot can happen in three days, you know."  
 _ **"Tell me about it..."**_

    ~ø~

    Poison opened his mouth to speak as Cola chimed in again,  
 _ **"Why, what happened?"**_  
He bowed his head and bit his lip,  
"Go-Go..."

    ~ø~

    Cola's face fell at the man's words and he leaned back against the counter, his voice soft,  
"That was _today_...?"  
 _ **"What the fuck...seriously? Of course it was today, you were the one who announced it, or don't you fucking remember that?"  
**_ "I did?"  
 _ **"Yeah, on D's broadcast! God, what the hell is up with you, Cola?"  
**_     The man straightened, slapping a hand to his face as a light bulb suddenly seemed to go on,  
"Oh, shit, that's right! I did...Jesus, I'm sorry...it's uh...it's been a long day."  
 _ **"Look, I don't know what's up with you, but this ain't no Kid Rock song and I ain't Sheryl Crow, so you need to fucking tell me what is going on here..."**_

    ~ø~

    He coughed shortly, lowering his voice as not to alert the others,  
"Tell me the truth, Cola, and be honest...you gone Ritalin Rat?"  
 _ **"What!? No! No, Poison, I'm not-"  
**_ "Cola, I'm serious," he shook his head, swallowing hard,  
"Because if you are, I swear to God, I'm comin' down there and I'm gonna beat those pills right outta you-"

    ~ø~

   "I'm _not_ ," Cola stressed, running a hands through his hair again as he sighed,  
"Okay, it's just...it's been a hard few days, okay? Really hard..."  
 _ **"You wanna talk about it? Maybe do each other's nails while we're at it?"**_  
"No," he laughed, sniffling as he wiped his nose,  
"No, I'm good."  
 _ **"You sure? It's been a while since my last mani/pedi. I could really use one."  
**_     Snickering softly, the greying blonde shook his head,  
"You have no idea how good it is to hear your voice..."  
 _ **"What was that? The radio just Rice Krispie'd all over me..."  
**_ "It was uh...it was nothing, Poison," he forced a smile,  
"Nevermind."

    ~ø~

    Party Poison frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then shook his head; coughing shortly,  
"Listen, uh...can I ask you a favour?"  
 _ **"Sure, what is it?"  
**_ He glanced down at the journal in his hands, swallowing hard,  
"Could you...could you cover the Raygun Jones show for me tonight? Kid got in a bit of a tussle and...I don't wanna leave him."  
    He glanced over at the bench where the younger man slept, sighing in relief as the man quickly replied,  
 _ **"Yeah, yeah of course! It's uh...it's in Zone 6, right?"  
**_ "No, _Zone 3_ , D's been making announcements all afternoon" he shook his head, frowning in concern. Cola's voice sounded different, he noted.  
He sounded tired; _old_ and tired.  
"You sure you're all right?"  
 _ **"Yeah, just...exhausted. You know how it is."**_

    ~ø~

 _ **"Look, if you can't handle it, I can ask somebody else. I think Chimp's available-"  
**_ "No, I got it, P, I got it..."  
Cola paused a minute as the radio fell silent, tears hitting his eyes as he swallowed hard,  
"Thanks..."  
 _ **"For what?"  
**_ A soft laugh escaped him at the tone in Poison's voice. No doubt he was scaring him,  
"For always having my back."

    ~ø~

    Poison grinned at that, eyebrows bouncing wildly,  
"Ahh, but I have your back AND your _front_ , dear sir."  
Cola laughed again, and Poison smiled, shaking his head with a sigh as the man cleared his throat,  
 _ **"I mean it, though...thanks."  
**_ He nodded shortly,  
"Night, Cola."  
He then hung up the receiver before the man could reply.

    ~ø~

    Cola straightened as the receiver clicked off and swallowed hard, finding it hard to hang up himself,  
"Night...Poison."  
He then wiped his eyes and turned to leave, a sorrowful smile on his aged face...

    ~ø~

    Party Poison let out a groan as he turned and sat down at the bar, tossing the book on the counter. Running his hands through his hair, he shook his head and gazed at it; his mind racing.  


**_"What the fuck am I gonna do?"_ **


	9. Chapter 9

     **Angels In The Zones** **  
  
**

_**'"Michael!"'**  
  
    He frowned as he spotted a young woman with dark brown hair at the end of the road. She wore a short, white dress and a pearl necklace. Her shoes were missing. She smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.   
      
    **'"Michael!!"'**  
  
    Raising an eyebrow, he turned around to see a tall, blue box behind him in the distance.   
Glancing back to the woman, her smile fell and she bowed her head, turning away sadly. He watched her walk away until she vanished from his sight, his heart breaking as she disappeared into the sunlight....  
  
    --  
  
    _Party Poison woke with a start at the feeling of being dragged; flailing frantically as he searched for his gun. After a moment, he stopped and turned his focus to the person pulling him,  
"Doc...? The hell are you--?"  
"I had a thought and it couldn't wait," he began, dragging him by his ankles through the dusted out Diner's front lot toward the TARDIS,  
"And you wouldn't wake up, no matter how _loudly_ I screamed your name..."  
    The red head smirked at that, placing his hands behind his head,  
"Oh, really? I had you _screaming_ my name, huh?"  
Rolling his eyes, the Doctor promptly dropped him and started toward the door alone,  
"I had a thought..."  
He began again, marching through the TARDIS doors with a purpose,  
"The angels. They want your time energy, yes? But where did that energy come from? How did you come to accumulate so much of it?"  
    Poison groaned as he rose to his feet, dusting himself off as he trudged in after him.  
He halted as the Doctor pulled his sonic screwdriver from the folds of his jacket and briskly waved it at him; checking it in confusion,  
"Strange," the Doctor began, frowning, "There's been a significant drop in the energy around you."  
    He looked him over, raising an eyebrow,  
"You're not wearing your jacket."  
"Well, that's quite an observation you've made, _Mr. Holmes_ ," Party Poison leaned back against the console with crossed arms,  
"Now, the question is, can your electric tampon tell me where and when it was made? Which part of the cow it was cut from? Please tell me it was the ass. I do so hope I've secured myself a little piece of ass..."  
" _Screwdriver._ And actually, that's a brilliant idea," the Doctor nodded, tapping the screwdriver to his lips,  
"Go fetch it, I'll wait here."  
    Poison straightened, snorting with a cheeky grin,  
"That was a joke, Doc."  
"Yes, well, I'm not laughing. Now, quickly, go get it, I haven't got all day."  
Taking a deep breath, Party Poison shook his head and started back out of the TARDIS,  
"Okay..."  
    He headed back into the Diner, back to the corner where his jacket lay folded. Picking it up, he straightened upon hearing a soft groan from behind him and spun around quickly. Lying on the bench of the diner booth, Kobra Kid was finally beginning to stir. He hurried over to the blonde, eyes widened in surprise,  
"Kid?"  
    Pushing himself up, Kobra Kid winced and placed a hand gingerly on his shoulder,  
"What...how the hell did we get back?"  
He turned his confused gaze to Party Poison; frowning as the man stared blankly back at him,  
"What?"  
The neon-haired man first began to smirk, trying hard to stifle a laugh. Proving he couldn't keep it in, he doubled over in laughter; turning to Ghoul as he came walking in,  
"Was this _you_?"  
    Ghoul snickered as he walked over, eying Kobra Kid with a smug grin,  
"You like it?"  
Poison gave the man a high five and wiped his eyes of tears as he headed back outside,  
"Good one, dude."  
Kobra Kid looked with a curious stare to Fun Ghoul, who began snickering as he turned and followed after Poison,  
"What? What the fuck did you do?"  
Wincing, he climbed off of the bench and chased them out the door,  
"Hey!!"  
      
    ~ø~  
  
    Fun Ghoul straightened as he trailed after Party Poison, following him into the TARDIS. He stopped at the door, eyes wide as he gaped at the vast room spreading out before him,  
"What the fuck...?"  
"Oi," the Doctor straightened, eying the dark-haired man at the door way. He turned to Party Poison with a frown,  
"Did I say you could bring a friend?"  
    The red head shrugged as he tossed his jacket to him,  
"You never said I _couldn't_. Besides, he's so _small_ , I didn't think you'd notice."   
With a scowl, Fun Ghoul swiftly kicked Poison in the back,  
"Fuck you!"  
"Sorry," Party Poison snickered, turning to him with a cheeky grin,  
"What was that? I couldn't hear you up here. _Higher elevation_ and all--"  
    The shorter man took a swing at him, punch landing roughly on his arm as the fiery-haired man continued to cackle,  
"Easy now, _Bilbo._ "  
"Go to hell!"  
"Boys," the Doctor groaned angrily as they continued to throw punches at one another, _  
"Boys!!"  
_ They both stopped to look at him. He glared back in annoyance,  
"Stop it."  
    Turning back to the jacket, he scanned it once with the sonic screwdriver and raised an eyebrow,  
"Now, it says this jacket is more than 70 years old. Where did you get it?" _  
"Santa Claus,"_ Party Poison began, following Fun Ghoul down a set of nearby stairs,  
The Doctor rolled his eyes at that and began examining it further,  
"I assume by the _sarcastic_ tone in your voice that you didn't actually get it from him..." _  
"Ding ding! We have a winner!"  
    _He then frowned, raising an eyebrow as he trotted back upstairs,  
"Wait, a hot minute....you sound _disappointed_. You mean to tell me St. Nick _actually_ exists?"  
The Doctor shot him a knowing smirk, turning his attention back to the monitor,  
"Wouldn't you like to know?"  
Transferring the data he had collected from the jacket to the screen, the Doctor frowned as the TARDIS began whirring and whining around him,  
"Easy, old girl. What's the matter, ey? Something bothering you...?"  
He frowned as he looked at the monitor,   
"Well, that's odd. That's _very_ odd..."  
    "What's odd?"  
Fun Ghoul frowned as he listened from the floor below, exploring what appeared to be little cabinets laid into the centre column. Popping open a drawer at the base, his eyes lit up as he discovered a collection of strange clothing and various accessories.  
"This jacket," the Doctor held it up as he traipsed over to the red head,  
"It belonged to your great grandfather, yes?"  
    Party Poison smirked at that and folded his arms across his chest,  
"You know, you really need a gold star for all of this A+ detective work you're doing. Bravo!"  
He patted him on the shoulder and started across the console floor away from him, the Doctor shaking his head,  
"But this jacket wasn't manufactured until a few years ago...2009 to be exact!"  
Poison slowly turned to him, his bemused look fading to that of confusion, _  
_"Bullshit."  
"No, actually," the Doctor replied as he came storming back over,  
"Far from."  
    Snatching it back, Poison held the jacket in his hands and shook his head,  
"I got this from my grandpa when I turned _15,_ I wasn't _15_ in 2009, Doc."  
"Tell that to the materials," the Doctor pushed passed him and back over to the monitor, tapping it with the tip of the screwdriver,  
"It's all right here. When the jacket was made, where the materials came from...2009, just outside of what is now referred to as 'Battery City'. So, while it may have 70+ years of wear and tear, it is, in fact, relatively _new._ "  
    Party Poison frowned as he came up next to him, gaping blankly at the monitor.   
It was all there, black and white.  
He shook his head,  
"How is that possible?"  
He glanced over at him, swallowing hard at the knowing look in the man's eyes.   
The Doctor sighed deeply at this and carefully took off his glasses,  
"I don't know, Michael," he shoved them back into his coat pocket and leaned against the console, nodding to the monitor again,  
"But I have a feeling... _sooner or later_...we're going to find out." _  
"Hey guys, check me out!"  
_ Fun Ghoul grinned as he popped back up from the lower deck, now sporting a long, tan coat, a pair of red and blue, 3D spectacles, and a fez,  
"How do I look?"  
Party Poison grinned, but just as he was about to speak, the TARDIS let out a string of strange noises. The Doctor, grimacing at this, groaned loudly and shook his head; smacking the control panel,  
"No, no, no!! What's wrong with you!!"  
    Concerned, the red head turned to him with wide eyes,  
"What the hell was that?"  
"That," the Doctor groaned, marching quickly over to Fun Ghoul,  
"Was something I _refuse_ to repeat, now give me those!"  
He roughly snatched the fez from Ghouls' head; then waved his palm impatiently,  
"Now, the coat. C'mon, give it here."  
Party Poison snickered as the TARDIS began to whine again and he glanced up, looking about at the flashing lights,  
"Aww, I think you're spoiling her fun, Doc...!"  
    "You... _shush_ ," the Doctor snipped, spinning to shake his finger at the red head.  
Upon turning back, he let out an aggravated growl as he discovered Fun Ghoul had run off,  
"Oi! Get back here!"  
The dark-haired man quickly hurried up the stairs and into another hallway, the Doctor chasing after him as Poison continued to chuckle,  
"That coat was a gift from _Janis Joplin_ and I won't have you mucking it up! Now, give it here!"  
    They both disappeared from view then and Poison grinned, letting out a loud laugh as he heard Ghoul shouting in the distance, _  
"Jesus Christ, look at the size of this fuckin' pool!"  
_ He shook his head, turning quickly upon hearing the doors open. In walked Kobra Kid, a serious look on his face. Poison snickered, the crude doodle still on the younger man's cheek,  
"What's the matter, _Puddin' Pop_? you--"  
"The Raygun Jones show got popped," he said quickly, before Poison could finish his joke,  
"Everyone of 'em dusted. No survivors."  
    The fiery-haired man's gaze fell as he continued,  
"Just heard it on D's show. Said they didn't stand a chance."  
"Shit..."  
They both turned as they heard angry footsteps coming from the back, and the Doctor entered the room, trenchcoat and 3D glasses in hand. The TARDIS began to whirr and blink again and to this the Doctor rolled his eyes,  
"I don't _care_ if you think he looked _foxy_ , these are my things. _Mine_. Not his!"  
    Fun Ghoul giggled as he followed behind him, winking up at the ceiling,  
"She thought I looked foxy?"  
"Don't encourage her," the Doctor snipped, tossing the coat and glasses down onto the console.   
He then straightened, slight startled as he noticed Kobra Kid standing by the doors,  
"I didn't realise we were making this a party..."  
    Ghoul frowned as he glanced back and forth between Kobra and Poison, raising an eyebrow,  
"What happened?"  
Poison shook his head with a growl as he pushed away from the console,  
"Raygun Jones is done."  
"What!? They broke up!? When--!!"  
"Not 'broke up'," the red head snapped, storming for the doors,  
" _Ghosted_."  
    Fun Ghoul straightened, quickly following after him,  
"Wait up!"  
This left the Doctor with Kobra Kid, whom he eyed with a hard swallow. He motioned to the young man's cheek and coughed shortly,  
"You...ehem...you have a little something...."  
Kobra sighed deeply, reaching up and trying furiously to wipe it away. The Doctor cringed as it smudged, succeeding only in making the obscene little doodle more obvious.   
    With that, he nodded and started passed him; patting him on the shoulder,  
"Right. Well, there's that, then."  
Groaning, Kid turned and followed the Doctor outside.  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    "Poison, wait up," Fun Ghoul shouted, chasing him back into the Diner. He sighed as the red head angrily grabbed his gun from his sheets; watching him then trudge over to the bar,  
"What are you gonna do?"  
"What's it look like," he grumbled, grabbing his holster from the counter top and strapping it on,  
"I'm gonna ghost those fuckers."  
" _Poison_ \--"  
    "What!?"  
He snapped, glaring Fun Ghoul in the eyes. Stepping up to him, he narrowed his eyes,  
"Kid said there were no survivors. _None_. Do you know who was covering that show?"  
Ghoul shook his head silently.  
"Well, _I_ do," Poison hissed, his gaze dropping,  
"'Cause I asked him to do it."   
    He shoved passed the shorter man and headed back outside,  
"Get your gun if your comin'. If not, then stay the fuck outta my way."  
He headed for the Trans Am, passing Kobra Kid and the Doctor on the way.   
Kid frowned as he got in the car and started it, Fun Ghoul quickly running out after him,  
"What's going on?"  
    "Get your gun," Ghoul shouted, motioning to the blonde man,  
"We're hunting Dracs."  
With a grunt, Kobra Kid quickly hurried inside and fetched his weapon, hurrying to the car.  
The dark-haired man grinned as he spotted him coming and climbed into the passenger seat,   
"Shotgun!"  
He giggled as Kobra Kid punched him in the arm.   
    "Michael," the Doctor began, stepping up to the open car window,  
"You can't honestly be thinking of charging out there, right now--"  
"And why the hell wouldn't I--?"  
"Because the angels are scouring this desert just to get a piece of you," he interrupted, leaning down to look him right in the eyes,  
"And I can't protect you if you go running off."  
    "Then, come with us."  
The Doctor straightened at that, his eyes widening,  
"....I'm sorry, I don't think you understand what I'm saying--"  
Poison lifted his gun, and aimed it at the Doctor's chin, a crazed grin crossing his lips,  
"Get in the fucking car, Doc."  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    "You know, you're really gonna have to stop threatening me at some point," the Doctor seethed from the seat just behind Poison's,  
"I don't appreciate it."  
"Not my problem."  
"Actually, yes, it is," he began again, wagging his finger in disapproval,  
"It is your problem and it's a problem you've had since we met. Not only that, it isn't very nice--"  
"Yeah, well neither is having your best friend ghosted by a Drac," Poison shot back, glaring at the Doctor in the rearview mirror,  
"And I ain't just gonna sit here and let those fuckers get away with it. You were the one who wanted to come along and watch for angels, so just sit there and shut the hell up."  
    There was a short moment of quiet between them, the Doctor clearing his throat softly,  
"You see, that's where you get your story very crossed, the idea was for you not to--"  
"Doc."  
With a sigh, the Doctor put his hands up and leaned back in the seat, crossing his arms.   
Fun Ghoul frowned, as he glanced over at Poison's wrist,  
"You gonna be able to fight like that?"  
    The fiery-haired man shrugged, wincing slightly as he gripped the steering wheel,  
"Yeah, why wouldn't I?"  
Ghoul shrugged, shaking his head as he glanced back out the window,  
"Nothing, no reason. Just looks like it smarts...that's all."  
Party Poison glanced down at it briefly. Ghoul was right; it didn't look nice.   
And it definitely didn't feel all that nice, either.  
    He coughed, shaking his head as pushed back against his seat,  
"It's fine. Don't worry about it."  
After another quiet pause, the radio began to crackle and a familiar voice popped in over it,  
 **"Hey, it's Jet. Are you guys in the car?"**  
Ghoul leaned over and picked it up, grinning as he briefly glanced over at Poison,  
"Yeah, man, where are you?"  
"Girl and I just got back from Chow Mein's shop. I heard about the Raygun Jones show. Is Poison okay?"  
"No, I'm not o- _fucking_ -kay," the neon-haired man hissed, wincing as he squeezed the wheel again,  
"The fuck do you think, jackass?"  
    Fun Ghoul blinked quietly; taking a deep breath as he responded,  
"Yeah, Jet, he's peachy."  
 **"Don't you guys do anything stupid, all right? He wouldn't want that--"**  
Poison snarled and grabbed the receiver out of Ghoul's hand, his eyes burning with rage,  
"And I don't fucking care what he'd want, Jet. 'Cause guess what? He's dead. His opinion don't matter anymore."  
    The Doctor frowned as Party Poison slammed the receiver back down, swallowing hard as he glanced over at Kobra Kid,  
"Who is he?"  
The Doctor frowned as Party Poison slammed the receiver back down, swallowing hard as he leaned closer to Fun Ghoul,  
"Who is he?"  
Ghoul sighed deeply and folded his arms, his voice a low whisper,  
"A friend of ours....Agent Cherri Cola. He used to ride with us for a while, back when the wars were still raging. Way before Jet and I joined, before we were even 'Killjoys'. It used to be just the four of them...him, Cola, Kid...and Go-Go."  
With a twitch of annoyance, Poison suddenly pulled the car over; slamming the brake rather violently.  
    He then clambered out and slammed his door shut behind him. The Doctor coughed shortly, straightening as the other two slowly began to climb out,  
"Are we here, then?"  
Fun Ghoul quickly jogged after him as they trudged up a rocky hill, trying to keep pace,  
"Just cool it, okay? Don't run in head first."  
"Don't tell me what to fucking do. You're not my mother."  
    With a frown, the shorter man reached out and grabbed a hold of the neon-haired man's wrist, causing him to let out a yelp,  
"Dude, what the fuck--!?"  
"Do you wanna tell me what's really going on," Ghoul snapped, his brows furrowed darkly,  
"Or am I gonna have to beat it out of you?"  
Party Poison, snickered at that; taking his wrist back from him with a snarl,  
"' _Beat it out of me_ '? That's _cute_ \--"  
    "I'm being serious," he quipped, looking up at him with concern,  
"You've been acting weird ever since the Doctor got here, not to mention after what went down with Go-Go. Now, Cherri-Cola gets ghosted and you turn into a psychopath! 'Shit happens out here', isn't that what you always say? And then there's this whole mess about angels. It's got you jumpy! You don't actually _believe_ it, do you?"  
Poison coughed shortly, shaking his head,  
"I don't know what you're talkin' about."  
    Fun Ghoul shook his head, sighing deeply,  
"This business with your _grandpa_...it's got you spooked, P. I know you think we can't see that, but we did...at least _I_ did. Dude, you're not--"  
    "What I am and what I ain't, ain't none of your concern, got it," Poison snapped, inches from Ghouls' face,  
"Just shut up and let's do this."  
He pulled out his ray gun and started back up the hill; marching at first, but soon breaking into a charge. He came to a halt when he reached the top, his eyes widening in silence.  
    He could see the BLIndustries cars parked in various places around a bloody, dusty stage. Numerous white body bags littered the area; the ground around each one sprinkled in varying shades of red dust. These were not the things that made his heart stop upon looking at the scene, however.   
As Fun Ghoul reached the top just seconds later, he straightened and let out a curse,  
"Oh fuck..."  
The Doctor frowned upon seeing the two of them frozen on top of the hill, raising an eyebrow,  
"What's the matter? Cold feet? I thought the whole point of this thing was to go in guns blazing, throwing caution to the wind, hail of bullets and all that--"  
    He swallowed hard as he peered down the hill into the valley; his hearts beginning to race,  
"--jazz."  
At the base of the hill, staring right up at them, stood a small army of stone angels. Kobra Kid frowned at this, shaking his head,  
"Those statues, again?"  
"They must have ambushed the Dracs before we got here," the Doctor began, a bead of sweat trailing down his cheek,  
"Probably smelled _you_ coming."  
    He glanced over nervously at Party Poison. The red head shot him an annoyed glance.  
Kobra Kid frowned,  
"Why would they be after Poison," he shook his head, keeping his eyes on them,  
"What did he do?"  
"What _don't_ I do," Poison began, swallowing hard as he took a step back.  
The blonde man nodded with vigor,  
"You've got a good point there."  
    The Doctor nervously glanced between Party Poison and the league of statues at the base of the hill,  
"Boys, I think for now...we should stop gawking and get back to the--"  
    He turned around; swallowing hard,  
"Oh dear."  
The neon-haired man glanced back briefly, his eyes widening in fright,  
"Is that...?"  
"More angels," Fun Ghoul breathed as he eyed the trio surrounding the Trans Am,  
" _Greaaaaaaat_...."  
    "All right," the Doctor let out a deep breath, glancing back and forth between the two groups of ever approaching angels,  
"Everybody, stay calm....and whatever you do, don't get too close. Especially not you, Michael--"  
He straightened as he felt something roughly bump into him, his eyes widening as the back of Party Poison's jacket entered his vision,  
"Michael!"  
"I told you before," he seethed, fist clenched tightly on his ray gun,  
"I ain't afraid of no statues."  
    He raised the yellow pistol and took a shot at one of them, the charge uselessly splashing off of it's marble skin. The Doctor grit his teeth tightly as he hurriedly pulled out his sonic screwdriver,  
"It won't work! Your gun is practically useless!"  
Fun Ghoul spun around as he heard the sound of churning gravel, eyes widening as he found himself suddenly face to face with one of the quantum-locked creatures. They were coming up the hill, slowly but surely every time they looked away. He took a step back from it quickly, keeping his eyes on it,  
"Doc, they got us flanked. What do we do?"  
    The Doctor swallowed hard as he followed Party Poison down the hill, keeping an eye on the angel standing at the driver's side door,  
"Keep an eye on them! And do. Not. Blink."  
He cursed as he came up behind the neon-haired man, his gaze nervously shifting between the trio they were approaching,  
"You know, you are really starting to get on my nerves with this whole....not listening thing you've got going on--"  
    "Sorry, not sorry. Sitting around and waiting for a plan really just ain't my style, Doc..."  
"Well, what do you have in mind, then, seeing as your guns are out of the question."  
Cautiously, Party Poison inched his way around the car and over to the trunk. One of the angels was poised behind it, reaching for him with a silent snarl.  
    He reached into his pocket and slowly pulled something out; something the Doctor couldn't see.  
With a few deep breaths, Poison swallowed hard and shook his head,  
"Here goes..."  
The Doctor tensed as he watched the fiery-haired man turn his back on the statue and let out a shout,  
  
 **"MICHAEL!!"**


	10. Chapter 10

     **Windows**

    "MICHAEL!! MI...chael?"  
Party Poison exhaled in relief as he popped the trunk; pulling out what appeared to be a bazooka,  
"Phew....fuckin' glad _that_ worked..."  
The Doctor gaped in shock as he calmly slammed it shut and walked back over; eying him with confusion,  
"What....but... _how_!?"  
    "You ever watch the _Addams Family_ , Doc?"  
The neon-haired man turned around a moment and pointed to the back of his head. Resting backwards over his hair were a pair of mirrored sunglasses. The Doctor smiled at that; running a hand through his hair as he let out a laugh,  
"You pulled a Cousin Itt! That is...wow... that is _actually_ brilliant."  
    Party Poison scowled at that and shoved him aside,  
"Gee. _Thanks._ "  
The Doctor frowned as he kept an eye on the angel from which Poison had just escaped; shaking his head as he aimed the bazooka at the one by the driver's side door,  
"You're little phasers don't work on them, remember?"  
"This phaser's anything but little, Doc," he glanced back at the lanky man with a wink as the gun warmed up,  
"This one's set to _fun_."  
    The Doctor jumped as he fired the shot, his eyes widening as it hit the angel full force.  
It's upper torso exploded upon impact; sending a cloud of dust into the air . Party Poison grinned at that, and turned to the one by the trunk, firing a second shot. It too was blown apart.  
"H-How...how....how did you do that?"   
He smirked as he aimed the blaster at the last one of the trio,   
"Well, they're stone when you're lookin' at 'em right?"  
"E-Erm...yes, but--but you can't _kill_ them--"  
    " _Kill_ , no," the red head turned to him with a wink, _  
_" _Blow to smithreens_...? Now, _that_ I can do..."  
He aimed the bazooka at the last of the trio, it's head violently bursting into pieces as he took the shot.  
Turning away from the car then, he hurried back up the hill toward Fun Ghoul, _  
_"Yo, _pretty boy_! Move your ass unless you wanna get dusted!"  
    The Doctor watched in awe as Poison effortlessly destroyed the angel facing off with Fun Ghoul, a smile tugging at his lips,  
"How very... _clever_."  
Kobra Kid swallowed hard as they backed away from the hill,  
"What do we do...? We can't use the blaster on all of them. There's not enough charges..."  
    He glanced at the others for a second, quickly turning back at the sound of gravel shifting. One angel was now standing on the hill, while another was poised to climb up.  
Party Poison handed the bazooka off to Fun Ghoul as they reached the car,  
"We hit the red line and hope it's fast enough..."  
Hurriedly, the four of them piled into the Trans Am; Poison quickly peeling away as the angels one by one began to bubble up over the cliff's edge. _  
  
_ ~ø~ _  
  
_  "I'd never thought of blowing them up before...I didn't think that was possible." _  
_" _Really_ ," Party Poison smirked, glancing over at the Doctor,  
"And you're _how old_ , again?" _  
_" _Again_ ," the Doctor frowned, raising an eyebrow at him,  
"I haven't told you--"  
    The neon-haired man shot him a look, to which the Doctor cleared his throat and adjusted his seat belt,  
"Oh, right...granddad's book."  
"It _really_ never occured to you to just blow it to pieces," he snorted, shaking his head, _  
_" _Astonishing._ "  
"Well, I don't have quite the same _affinity_ for violence as _you_ do."  
    He shot the Doctor another blank look; the man straightening uncomfortably, _  
"_ How much _do_ you know about me?"  
Party Poison laughed at this, turning his focus back to the road,  
"Wouldn't _you_ like to know?"  
The Doctor smiled and looked forward as well, his eyes widening as he quickly reached for the wheel,  
"Michael!!"  
    Poison tensed as they narrowly avoided the decapitated angel now standing in the middle of the road. He turned to the Doctor in horror as they sped passed it; the Doctor glancing back at it in the rearview mirror,  
"I blew that thing to pieces! It's supposed to be _dust_!! _"  
_ "Oh,I was afraid of this..."  
"Afraid of _what_!?"  
    "Well," the Doctor began, eying another broken angel off to the side of the highway,  
"You know...it's like when you poke at a beehive with a stick...the bees don't tend to like that very much."  
Poison swerved as another one appeared before the car; half of it's torso missing. His eye twitched as he shook his head, letting out another shout,  
"But these ain't _bees_ , Doc!"  
"Tell that to the _horde_!!"  
    Down the road, they could see a cluster of the stone creatures blocking their path. Fun Ghoul straightened as he saw them, gripping the bazooka tightly in his hand,  
"Poison...!" _  
_Throwing the wheel to a hard right, the Trans Am began to skid; narrowly avoiding the mass of angels as it broke free from the highway and onto desert terrain. A cloud of dust kicked up behind them as he laid on the gas; the car violently jumping and jerking as they ran over a number of dried, dead shrubbery. The Doctor grabbed hold of the roof of the car, his hair whipping violently at his face as wind flushed through the open windows, _  
_"Was this _really_ a good idea!?"  
    The car bounced and bobbed for a few minutes more before finding itself on another asphalt road; Poison glancing back in the rear view mirror,  
"I don't see any more, do you?" _  
_They each began looking out from their respective windows, Kobra Kid shaking his head,  
"No, I think we lost 'em."  
    The Doctor swallowed hard as he looked up toward the churning skies, his voice low and dark,  
"I wouldn't be so sure about that."  
Fun Ghoul frowned at that; his eyebrows raising as he heard a strange thumping,  
"Do you guys hear something?"  
    They all silenced for a moment. It sounded like the distant sound of flapping wings... _  
_

_**THUD.**  
  
_ Party Poison's hazel eyes widened as a stone hand suddenly blocked Fun Ghoul from view, and he glanced up; the snarling face of angel entering his line of sight,  
"Holy _shit_...!" _  
_  Quickly grabbing Poison by the collar of his jacket, the Doctor pushed him down and away from the angel's claws; using his free hand to aim at it with his screwdriver.  
Kobra Kid cursed as the Trans Am began to swerve; flattening himself back against the seat,  
"Poison!!"  
    The Doctor growled as he waved his sonic at it, smacking it a few times in haste,  
"C'mon! _C'mon_!!"  
Party Poison grunted as he carefully began to sit up, the Doctor shoving him back down, _  
_"Don't--!! You stay down!!"  
The car swerved violently again; the neon-haired man tensing as he felt the car go off the road,  
"Well, hurry up and fucking _do_ something or we're gonna crash!!"  
    Fun Ghoul quickly took this opportunity to shove Poison's seat forward; aiming the bazooka upwards at the statue affixed to the roof of the car, _  
_" _Hasta la vista, baby._ "  
He fired straight into it's chest, sending the angel soaring into the air in pieces. The Trans Am sped on down the road, Party Poison slowly sitting up. The four of them remained deathly quiet; the Doctor only clearing his throat cautiously,  
"Well....that was fun."  
Party Poison shot him a glare and shook his head; turning his eyes back to the road. _  
  
_  ~ø~  
      
    They reached the Diner an hour later, the four of them tiredly climbing out of the car. The Doctor sighed, shaking his head as he cleared his throat,  
"Exciting...invigorating, that was. The kind of car chase Hollywood could only _dream_ of..."  
Party Poison shook his head and rubbed his eyes in exhaustion, sighing deeply,  
"Yeah, really gets the _heart_ going...or _hearts_ in your case."  
He turned and glanced back at him briefly, the both of them beginning to smirk and snicker at each other. _  
_Before long, the two of them dissolved into fits of laughter. Fun Ghoul and Kobra Kid exchanged glances as the two continued to laugh; the Doctor staggering around the car to pat him on the back,  
"I still can't get over how you just thought you could blow them to pieces!!" _  
_"Hey, it seemed like a good idea at the time!! And in my defence, I didn't think they were gonna turn into the fucking _Terminator!!"  
    _Kobra Kid snorted in disgust as they continued to laugh and joke, shaking his head as he rounded the car toward Poison,  
"I'm so glad you find this amusing."  
Poison glanced back at him mid-laugh and rolled his eyes,  
"Oh, here comes the _sour puss_ again--"  
    Grabbing him rather abruptly, Kobra Kid shoved him back against the car; his hands firmly clutching the fiery-haired man's jacket,  
"You think everything is a _joke,_ don't you!? This is all just a _game_ to you!! We could have _died_ \--"  
"Yeah, well we _didn't_ ," he shouted back, shoving the younger man away from him,  
"Now, calm your tits, _princess_!!"  
    To this, Kobra Kid snarled and lunged at at Poison a second time, landing a fist right in his face,  
"Fucking _prick--_!"  
Poison swung back, his fist connecting with Kid's jaw as an all out brawl errupted between the two of them. The sound of the ruckus brought Jet Star out from the bar, Girl trailing at his heels. He quickly ran out to where the two of them were fighting and grabbed Kobra Kid; dragging him away from Poison,  
"Hey!! _Hey_!!"  
    The Doctor took this moment to step in front of Party Poison, grabbing him by the shoulders,  
"Stop it, now, _stop it_...."  
Kobra Kid snarled as he peered over Jet Star's shoulder, his sunglasses beginning to slide down his nose,  
"You're a fucking _child_!! You know that!?! Your bullshit's gonna get everyone _killed_!!"  
"At least I ain't no _pussy,_ " Poison quipped, trying to push passed the Doctor,  
"Like _some_ people I know!"   
    They tried to get at each other one more time, Fun Ghoul rolling his eyes as he hoisted the bazooka over his shoulder,  
"Just knock it off, _both_ of you. And _grow up..._ "  
He then turned and headed inside, Girl watching him quietly as he threw open the door to the Diner.  
Pulling away from Jet Star, Kobra Kid followed Ghoul inside.   
    Poison rolled his eyes at this; jerking away from the Doctor as he climbed back into the car. The Doctor straightened,  
"Michael? W-Where are you going?"  
"The Mad Gear show," he shot back, glancing up toward the sky,  
"It's almost five. I can still make it if I floor it."  
    The Doctor's eye widened at this and he shook his head as Poison started the engine,  
"Are we forgetting what _just_ happened," he shouted,  
"The explodey, scary car chase!? The angels!? We just climbed out of the frying pan and you want to run right back out into the fire--!?"  
"These are dangerous days, Doc," Party Poison shouted as he backed the car out of the dusty lot,  
"And I ain't missin' that show over a little _danger_."   
    The tires screeched as he peeled off down the road, the lanky man shouting after him desperately,  
"Michael!! _Michael_!!"  
He placed his hands on his hips as he watched the Trans Am fade into a cloud of dust, shaking his head shortly, _  
_" _Bloody idiot..._ " _  
  
_ ~ø~  
  
  Two men, dressed in all white and wearing matching Dracula masks, marched down a long white corridor; a wriggling prisoner in their grasp. The prisoner, whose face was covered by a white bag, fought desperately  to break free as they dragged him along. They finally turned and threw him into an interrogation room, where two more Dracs awaited him. These two strapped him into a chair before removing the bag. They then left the room.  
    The man snarled as a bright light came on overhead, his eyes immediately spotting a woman sitting in a chair opposite him. Her face was concealed by a bag, very similar to the one he'd just been wearing a moment ago; the deranged smiley face on it's front almost making her look humourous.  
"This world is a mess...wouldn't you say? Agent Cherri Cola..."  
The woman seemed to straighten upon hearing his name said. Korse entered the room with a smirk, hands behind his back as he came around to face the man.  
The man snorted, shaking his head with a smirk,  
"That's _'DJ'_ to _you_ , my friend. I ain't been a 'Agent' in years..."  
Korse smiled at this, sighing deeply as he made his way over to the woman,  
"Ah...I thought you'd say that. In reality, though...you just became 'Agent'...isn't that more like it?"  
    Cherri Cola tensed as he watched Korse circle the woman, swallowing hard as the Exterminator continued,  
"....and I bet you must be wondering where she is. You've been looking for her....haven't you? For a long time?"  
Cola shook his head,   
"I don't...I don't know what you're talking about."  
"Oh," Korse grinned, grabbing hold of the covering on the woman's head,  
"I think you do...."  
    He pulled it away with a swift jerk of his hand; the man gasping as he laid eyes on her,  
"No, it....it can't be--"  
"Oh, but it can. And it is...."  
He pulled a photograph from his coat pocket and showed it to Cherri Cola,  
"This man. Who is he?"  
The man shook his head as he briefly glanced at the photo of the lanky, purple-coated man, a strand of greying, blonde hair falling in his face,  
"I-I don't know."  
"Really?"  
    Korse sauntered back over to the woman, pulling a ray gun from his jacket. He aimed it at the woman's temple,  
"How much are you willing to stake on that claim?"  
She swallowed hard and shook her head; tears welling in her eyes,  
"Don't."  
    "Her life....your life," the Exterminator grinned as Cherri Cola's face paled; his voice dripping with sadistic pleasure,  
"The life of your child?"  
"Child...?"  
Cherri Cola straightened, swallowing hard. A look of complete loss washed over him and he shook his head,  
"You can't possibly know...."  
    "Oh, but I do, Cherri Cola.....I do."  
The woman whimpered as Korse released her, watching in horror as he stormed right up to Cherri Cola. He bent down, looking the man straight in the eyes,  
"I know who he is, Cherri Cola....the son you lost so very long ago. She told me all about him."  
She began to sob, shaking her head as Korse began to circle the room,  
"If you tell me who the man in the photograph is...I promise you....no harm will come to the boy."  
    Cherri Cola swallowed hard as he gazed at the woman across from him. She shook her head, her frizzing curls obscuring her face,  
"Don't....don't tell him..."  
Cherri Cola shook his head; his eyes beginning to well with tears,  
"Never."  
Rolling his eyes, he grabbed Cherri Cola by the collar of his jacket and dragged him toward the door; the woman beginning to scream,  
"Cherri Cola!!"  
    Two Dracs stood at the door awaiting them, and Korse shoved the man into their arms; glancing back at the woman in annoyance,  
"Not anymore, I'm afraid. From now on, he'll be known as _**Agent** Gary Levko_."  
She let out a scream as they dragged him from her sight; slamming the door shut behind them as they left... _  
  
_ ~ø~  
  
    "We should go after him," the Doctor announced marching after them into the Diner.   
Kobra Kid snorted; digging into a can of Power Pup defiantly as he leaned back in his seat,  
"What for? The stupid fuck wants to get himself killed, we should let him."  
He turned, looking to the blonde-haired man in shock,  
"Oi! I know you're upset with him, but that is no way to talk about your friend--"  
" _Friend_!? You wanna talk about _friends_ ," Kid shot up from his seat and stormed over to the Doctor; coming within inches of his face,  
"From the moment I met that _asshole_ , he's done _nothing_ but put all of his so-called _'friends'_ in _danger_! He's reckless, and stupid! He always charges in without thinking things through! He's a danger to _everyone_ around him!! You've gotta be _joking_ if you think I'd stick my neck out for that bastard--! _"  
    _"Guys," Fun Ghoul began, glancing around the room with concern.  
"Not now, Ghoul," Kid shot, glaring the Doctor down with dark, angry eyes,  
"You know what? I'm _glad_ he left. Those angels can _have at it_. Maybe once they nab him, they'll get the fuck out of here and things will go back to _normal._ "  
The Doctor shot a deadly glare at the young man as he turned and started back to his booth; swallowing hard,  
"You'd feel very different if it actually were to happen."  
"Nah, I don't think so--" _  
"Trust_ me," the Doctor seethed, Kid turning to look at him in surprise. The man looked as though he were about to cry,  
"You _would._ "  
    "Guys," Fun Ghoul repeated, now searching the room frantically,  
"This is bad."  
"What's bad?"  
He turned to the three of them, shaking his head,  
"I haven't seen Girl since we came inside, have you?"  
    They hurried outside, splitting up as they scoured the property. As they met back at the front, Jet Star swallowed hard, glancing down the road,  
"You don't think she...?"  
Kobra Kid rolled his eyes as he stormed back for the Diner,  
"Oh, she probably _did_..."  
  
    ~ø~  
 _  
"'We all gotta die, but tonight we’d sell our skins to get you out....'"  
  
   _ Party Poison snorted as he turned the wheel sharply, dust flying into the air as he rounded the bend. The car jolted slightly as he righted it, the smell of burning rubber filling the air as he tore down the deserted highway. He must've been going almost 90. Clenching the wheel tightly, he snorted again, glancing up in the rearview mirror briefly,  
"Who the fuck does that little shit think he is? Tellin' me what to do..."  
    Adjusting his grip, he glanced in the side mirrors. No angels thus far. Maybe the Doctor was wrong. Maybe they weren't after him, after all. He shook his head and turned his gaze back to the road, still seething,  
"He ain't my fuckin' _mother_..."  
"But he _is_ your friend." _  
  
     **SCREEEEEEEEEEECH.**  
  
    _The car came to a sudden, screeching halt, and Poison gasped for air; turning in his seat to find Girl sitting behind him, _  
_" _JESUS...fuck_ \-- what the hell are you doing here!?"  
"Mad Gear," she said innocently, climbing into the passenger's seat,  
"You promised you'd take me next time they were around. Remember?"  
    The neon-haired man let out another gasp as he slumped back in the seat; squeezing his eyes shut as he shook his head,  
"You ain't supposed to be here, munchkin..." _  
_"Why not? You're just going to Mad Gear, right?"  
He hesitated a minute, coughing shortly,  
"Yeah, but--"  
    "But what? Is it about the Dracs?"  
"Nah, it ain't Dracs--"  
"S.C.A.R.E.C.R.O.Ws?"  
"No--"  
"Those funny statues from before?"  
    He turned to her with an exasperated sigh; shaking his head,  
"You just shouldn't _be_ here, okay? A Mad Gear show ain't no place for kids--" _  
_" _Funny._ I don't see that stopping _you_."  
She giggled as he glared at her; eventually letting out a sigh as he turned the car back on,  
"You little..."  
    They started forward again, slowly gaining speed as they took off down the motorway.  
"Hey, did you know you guys are getting your own action figures? _  
_"What? _Seriously_?"  
"Yeah, Tommy Chow Mein found a busted 3D Printer and fixed it up all shiny. Me and Jet got our pictures taken when we went down to his shop, today. He said to tell you guys to come by so he can make a whole set."   
"Holy shit, that's _wicked_! I always wanted to be an action figure..." _  
  
"'I don’t wanna know, I don’t wanna go, I don’t gotta know where I’m gonna die...'"  
  
    _~ø~ _  
  
_ "We have to get them back here," the Doctor began, pacing the floor anxiously,  
"Is there anyone you can call?"  
Fun Ghoul nodded, hurrying over to the radio,  
"I can send out a wave over the radio. Any Killjoy tuning in oughta hear it."  
"Yes. Good," the Doctor began, giving him a thumbs up,  
"Do that."  
    He turned back to Kobra Kid and Jet Star, glancing between them nervously,  
"All right, you two. With me."  
They followed the Doctor back to the TARDIS, Jet Star pausing as they passed the doors,  
"Holy fu--"  
"Yes, yes, she's _'bigger on the inside'_ ," the Doctor cut him off, hurrying to the console, _  
_"I know."  
    Kobra Kid scowled as the Doctor began fumbling with the controls, shaking his head,  
"I don't see why you're so eager to help him...you were almost killed out there, too. Besides, you _barely_ know him. What's it matter to you if he lives or dies...?"  
"What does it matter...?"  
Swiftly grabbing the monitor, he turned it toward Kobra Kid and brought up the files on Mike Milligram, specifically, the asylum records,  
"Because of this... _no one_ deserves to have this happen to them. _No one_."  
    Kid straightened as he glanced over the records, his heart stopping as he read what appeared to be detailed side effects of electroshock therapy. The Doctor pulled it away from him moments later, glaring him down in disapproval,  
"He has my sympathy. I can't _stop_ the angels from taking him, but at the very least, I can _slow_ them down...keep him here a little longer. And for him to be stuck with an _ungrateful brat_ like you for the duration of his time left..."  
    The blonde swallowed hard, his gaze falling as the Doctor continued,  
"Do you know what he did, Kobra? When you were hurt by that blade? He _protected_ you. Said if I couldn't save you he'd put a laser between my eyes," he tapped his forehead for emphasis,  
"He was scared to _death_. Oh, he wouldn't say it, _no_ , of course not....but he didn't _have_ to. And yet, here you stand....not willing to lift so much as a _finger._ Ready to let him die and for what? _For what_? A little _pissing_ match?"  
    He eyed Kobra Kid up and down, and shook his head,  
"He deserves _so much more_ than that."  
Fun Ghoul burst in seconds later, his eyes wide,  
"Guys, bad just got worse." _  
_  Kobra Kid straightened as he watched the Doctor head over to the others; glancing back at the screen with a deep breath. A faded image of Mike Milligram, standing on a beach in military garb, hauntingly stared back at him. He bowed his head thoughtfully.  
As the Doctor reached Fun Ghoul, the dark-haired man shook his head,  
"I got a transmission from Hot Chimp. She said she saw the Trans Am heading East down Route Guano...about 5 miles South of Hyper Thrust."  
    "Hyper- _what_?"  
"It's where the Mad Gear show is being held," Fun Ghoul stammered, running a hand through his hair,  
"It's...it's like a night club. Pretty skeevy joint, actually. All kinds of _zone rats_ hit it up there. They got the newest, shiniest android girls this side of Zone 5..."  
The Doctor shot him a blank stare, nodding thoughtfully,  
"Ah,yes, thank you. That cleared _everything_ up--"  
"Look, that's _not_ the bad part," Ghoul quickly shouted, glancing between the two of them in concern,  
"I just caught the end of D's show. The toxicity's climbing tonight...supposed to be around _90%."  
    _Jet Star straightened, his eyes widening as he glanced back at Kobra Kid,  
"Shit, that _is_ bad." _  
_"Tell me about it," lifting the enormous, mouse head at his side, Fun Ghoul swallowed hard,  
"He forgot to take _this_ with him."  
The Doctor gaped at the monstrousity in confusion, waving his screwdriver at it cautiously,  
"A furry blue head?" _  
_ "His rebreather," Kobra Kid stated softly. The Doctor glanced back as Kobra Kid marched up to them; his eyes now like steel,  
"They won't last five minutes in that soup."  
Hesitantly, he turned his gaze to the Doctor,  
"Can you...can you get us to them? With your box?"  
    The Doctor stared at him for a moment, nodding shortly in return,  
"I'll do my best."  
He hurried back to the console and began flipping at switches; Fun Ghoul and Jet Star heading after him.  
  
    ~ø~  
 _  
_ The sun had already disappeared behind the misty mountain ranges as they neared their destination; the area turning murky and dark. Party Poison frowned as the Trans Am began to sputter and putt; glancing down at the dashboard with a frown. Nothing appeared to be wrong. Girl glanced up at him; a look of concern on her face,  
"Did you break the car?"  
"What? No, I did not _break_ the--"  
There was a sudden, loud crack as the car back-fired, and they slowly coasted to a halt.   
    The neon-haired man glanced over at her silently. She shook her head, _  
_"You broke it."  
"Shut up..."  
He fumbled with the ignition; cursing as it refused to start again,  
"I don't know what the fuck it could be...she was fine before!"  
"We're gonna miss the show, aren't we?"  
    Letting out an annoyed groan, he unbuckled his seatbelt and reached for the door handle,  
"I said, ' _shut up_ '..."  
As he opened the door, he gagged and coughed, quickly pulling it shut again,  
"Oh, _fuck_...!"  
    Girl coughed as the air from outside briefly flooded the car; covering her mouth and nose quickly.  
He glanced down at her and coughed again, his eyes widening,  
"You didn't by chance bring your rebreather did you?"  
She shook her head.  
Leaning back in his seat, Poison swallowed hard, his lungs still burning from the outside air,  
"Well...this is fuckin' _perfect_."  
    "Poison..."  
The hazel-eyed man straightened as she began pointing at something standing freely in the ever-growing haze; his heart stopping. In the mist, stood the silhouette of a decapitated angel.  
Biting his lip, he glanced to his left, eying another one in the distance,  
"I take that back. _Now,_ it's fuckin' perfect."  
  
    ~ø~ _  
  
_ The Doctor frowned as he flipped and pulled at the switches, growling in aggravation,  
"She's having difficulty moving. I can't seem to get her into gear."  
Kobra Kid shook his head,  
"Why not?"  
The Doctor paused, rolling his eyes as he let out an exasperated sigh,  
"Well, if I knew _that,_ we wouldn't be sitting here, now, would we?"  
    "Can I try?"  
He frowned as Fun Ghoul walked over to the switches and ran his fingers over them; gently caressing them.  
He repeated this a few times without saying a word, and then turned his gaze upward with a seductive wink.  
The Doctor stared at him disapprovingly; his scowl darkening as the TARDIS seemed to jerk into motion.  
"How did you do that?"  
    Fun Ghoul turned to the Doctor with a grin, patting the console gently,  
"She just needed some _encouraging_ , Doc. I thought you'd be all up on that, but I guess you're _dropping the ball_...."  
He turned to Jet Star, a look of disgust on his face as Fun Ghoul rounded the console. Jet Star shook his head,  
"He's kind of like the _Horse Whisperer_...except with machines. Cars, vans...he's got the magic touch. You get used to it."  
    "Yes, well...I'd rather _not,_ " he turned a dark glare to the ceiling then, wagging his finger in disapproval,  
"We'll talk about this _later_."  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    "Are they gonna get us, Poison," Girl gasped, her heart racing,  
"Are we gonna die?"  
"No, we're not gonna die."  
"How do you know?"  
"Because I know--"  
"But how?"  
"Because... _look at me_!"  
    He snapped his fingers in front of her face and she turned to look at him, her eyes filling with tears.  
Leaning over to look her in the eye, he placed a hand under her chin and shook his head,  
"We are not gonna die. Killjoys _never_ die. You got that?"  
She nodded, frowning as he untied the handkerchief on his wrist,  
"What are you gonna do?"  
    Reaching over to her, he tied it around her mouth and pulled it up over her nose, glancing back at the angels outside. They were closer now than before. They hadn't been looking at them. He swallowed hard,  
"Listen, kiddo. I want you to keep your eyes on those statues. Don't let 'em out of your sight. Don't even blink...." _  
_ He then turned for the door; Girl repeating her query with a quivering voice,  
"Poison, what are you gonna do?"  
He was silent a moment.  
"I'm gonna try and fix the car."  
"But the air!! You won't last five minutes out there!!"  
    Nodding shortly, he glanced back and offered a small smile,  
"I know," he began, his gaze falling slightly,   
"Just keep your eyes on those statues...and don't open this door for anything."  
He scrambled out into the soup and slammed the door shut behind him, Girl clamping her hands over the handkerchief as the toxic air flooded the car.   
    Quickly, she crawled over to the driver's seat and watched him pop the hood; tears welling in her eyes. She then turned her attention back to the angel on the side of the road. It was smiling at her. _  
  
_ ~ø~  
  
    Kobra Kid frowned as the ship continued to rock back and forth, glancing at the Doctor as he braced himself on the railing,  
"How close are we?"  
"I'm not sure," the Doctor shook his head, flipping a few more switches,  
"Since I've no specified location to go on, I'm relying on the TARDIS' sense of smell."  
"Smell?"  
    "Yes," the Doctor continued, rounding the console quickly, _  
_"Michael has an immense amount of time energy pouring off of him. Ideally, she'll pick up his trail and we'll fly right to them..."  
"And if she _doesn't_?"  
The Doctor turned to him grimly, saying nothing. Kobra Kid glanced back at the monitor at this point, the image of Mike Milligram still on screen.  
  
    ~ø~ _  
  
_ Party Poison coughed harshly as he leaned over the engine. He felt as though his lungs were catching fire, and it was steadily becoming increasingly difficult to breathe. Unable to see the engine through the tears in his eyes, he shut the hood and turned around; gasping for air. His head was beginning to pound; his vision, swirling. Continuing to cough, he staggered around the car; beginning to lose his footing. He fell to his knees as he reached the door; glancing up briefly to see Girl's frightened eyes gazing down at him. Pulling himself back up, he flattened himself back against the car door; blocking her from the angel's view.   
    The violent hacking continued as he glanced back and forth between the two angels. They were approaching, slowly but surely. His mind was swimming, now. He found himself falling, sliding slowly down the side of the car to the dusty asphalt beneath him. In the distance, he could hear Girl screaming as she pounded on the window. He lay flat on the road, now, wheezing harshly. The sound of churning gravel met his ears and he blinked, gasping softly as the angel appeared overhead. It was reaching for him. He blinked again. Ever closer it came; now, inches from his face.  
    Girl's howls and screams were slowly fading away as he gazed up at the angel. If he blinked now, it would surely reach him...and if the Doctor was right, he'd be sent back to 1940. _  
_ Away from the Dracs, away from the Exterminators; away from this toxic air that was filling his lungs. _  
  
Away from everyone he loved.  
  
_ He grunted as he gazed at it, clawing at the concrete as he desperately fought the urge to close his eyes.  
It wouldn't be long, now...in either scenario.  
There was no one there to save him; no one to stop the angel. So long as he didn't blink he would be fine, but he was beginning to lose consciousness.   
Either way, he was about to die. _  
'"Michael!"'  
_ He frowned as a white light surrounded him, and he suddenly found himself face to face with a strange woman. She had long, brown hair and wore a blue, collared dress. She was reaching for him; tears in her eyes as she screamed again, _  
'"Michael!!"'  
    _His heart fluttered. He knew this woman. But who was she? And why was she out in the middle of the desert? He then realised they were no longer in the desert. He was lying on the floor of what looked like a kitchen. A kitchen with pastel yellow walls. He cocked his head to the side as he gazed up at her; confused. She rose up after a moment, seemingly in slow motion, and ran from the room.   
    As she disappeared from his sight, so did the kitchen, and he found himself face to face with the angel once more. At this point, he relaxed. Something about that scene had felt peaceful to him.   
Had that been Heaven? He inwardly scoffed. There was no such thing.  
Unable to keep his eyes open any longer, he let them flutter close; Girl screaming at the top of her lungs as she watched him fall limp, _  
_" _PARTY POISON!!_ " ** _  
_**

 


	11. Chapter 11

** So Long And Goodnight **

"No! Party Poison!!"  
She threw open the door, slamming it right into the angel's head. It opened no more than a sliver, and she bit her lip, reaching down through the crack toward him. Again, she slammed the door into the angel; tears falling from her eyes,  
"Move!! Get away!!"  
    A third time she whacked it, glancing away from it briefly to look down at Poison. As she raised her head back up, however, she found it staring her right in the face. Keeping her eyes on it, she swallowed hard, trying not to cough. Her eyes began to water. She would have to blink soon. Reaching down through the crack, she felt her fingers brush against Party Poison's vibrant hair and her lips began to quiver,  
"Wake up...Party Poison! Wake up!!"  
    Tears fell onto her cheeks and she began to cough, finding it hard to keep from blinking.  
She could not keep them open any longer. Choking out a sob, her gaze fell as she squeezed her eyes shut. _  
"Now, Fun Ghoul!"  
_She gasped as the angel exploded into dust, her eyes widening as she glanced up to see Fun Ghoul running toward them; bazooka in hand. He rushed to the door and pulled it open; placing an oxygen mask over her mouth as she climbed out. Kobra Kid and Jet Star followed in suit, the Doctor trailing behind them as they grabbed Party Poison and hoisted him up off the ground,  
"Quickly," the Doctor shouted, his voice muffled by a gas mask,  
"Back to the TARDIS!"  
    They carried him inside, the Doctor shutting the door behind them. Fun Ghoul knelt down in front of Girl, taking off his mask as he cradled her head,  
"You okay, pipsqueak?"  
She coughed, nodding shortly as she took hers off as well,  
"I'm fine...but Poison--!"  
"Poison! Hey, Poison!!"  
    They both turned as Kobra Kid, now kneeling at his side, began to shake him gently, as if trying to coax him awake,  
"C'mon, wake up!"  
The Doctor quickly hurried to them, kneeling as soon as he reached them. Leaning down, he pressed his fingers against the neon-haired man's neck,  
"No pulse..."  
    He motioned for the both of them to move back and took a deep breath,   
"Well, here goes _nothing_."  
Pinching Poison's nose shut, he tilted his head back and pressed his mouth to his; giving him a breath. He then placed both hands on the unconscious man's chest and began administering compressions. The other's watched in stunned silence as the Doctor repeated this, over and over; Kobra Kid swallowing hard,  
"Doc, save him..."  
    The Doctor ignored him and kept his pace, muttering softly under his breath, _  
_" _Ah...ha...ha...ha...stayin' alive...stayin' alive...._ come on, Michael...." _  
_A few more repetitions. Still no response. _  
_" _Ah...ha...ha...ha...stayin' alive...stayin'--_ come on!! Come on!!"  
After a few more tries, he came to a slow stop and sat back; gazing down at Party Poison sadly.  
    Kobra Kid straightened at this, his eyes widening,  
"Doc...Doc, wh-why'd you stop--?"  
"I'm sorry," he began, covering his mouth as he shook his head.  
He then stood and walked over to the console; leaning over it in silence. With a soft sob, Girl turned and buried her face in Fun Ghoul's shoulder; the dark-haired man holding her tight as he gaped at the scene in disbelief. _  
_ Kobra Kid shook his head as he went back to Poison's side, grabbing him by his jacket and shaking him,  
"Get up. C'mon, _get up!_ "  
Jet Star jumped as he began smacking the fiery-haired man across the face; quickly moving to pull him away,  
"Kid, stop it."  
    "GET UP!! C'MON YOU FUCKING _BASTARD_ \--"  
"It's no use. Stop--"  
"NO!"  
Throwing Jet Star away from him, he slammed his fist into Poison's cheek; eyes filled with tears of rage,  
"YOU'RE NOT GETTING OFF THAT EASY!! C'MON, GET UP!!"  
Grabbing his jacket again, he slammed him against the ground repeatedly; soon dissolving into sobs, _  
_"Get up...get up! You son of a _bitch_..."  
    He pressed his face into Poison's chest; the room falling silent, save for the quiet hum of the TARDIS. The Doctor bit his lip at the sound of Girl's soft sniffles and looked to the monitor.   
Mike Milligram's information remained unchanged. He straightened at this. _  
"Ferris Bueller, you're my hero..."  
_ The blonde man quickly pulled away as Poison began to hack and sputter; his eyes wide,  
"You're okay..."  
    Party Poison gasped as he sat up, wiping blood from his lips,  
"Did you _punch_ me?"  
"You're okay," Kid repeated, watching in shock as the red head pulled himself to his feet,  
"You...you're okay..."  
"Save for you pummelling my face into oblivion," Poison coughed again, rubbing his jaw sorely,  
"Yeah, I'm doing _swell_."  
    He hacked a bit more, smacking his chest with a fist,  
"So....which one of you was _kissin'_ me? 'Cause you had mighty... _mighty soft_ lips--"  
"That wasn't a _kiss,_ you idiot," the Doctor began, shaking his head,  
"That was _CPR..._ and if I _hadn't_ \--"  
"It was _you_ ," the neon-haired man began, a smile striking his face as he eyed the Doctor up and down,  
"Well, colour me surprised. Did I detect a hint of _tongue_ \--"  
"Michael--"  
"I mean I get it, I'm a _hot_ piece of ass--"  
"Michael--"  
"'But really, Doc, at least by a guy dinner first--" _  
_" _Michael!_ " _  
_ " _What!?_ " _  
_He straightened at that, glancing around at the others. They were all staring at him. He swallowed hard, shifting uncomfortably in the silence,  
"What?"  
  
~ø~  
  
The TARDIS touched down back at the Diner moments later and Kobra Kid angrily stormed out. The others slowly followed suit, Party Poison sighing deeply as he chased after them, a confused look on his face,  
"Guys! Guys, _come on_ _\--"  
    _Kobra turned sharply as they reached the Diner door, shaking his head as he took a shove at the red head,  
"No, _you_ c'mon. You still don't _fucking_ get it, do you?"  
Party Poison halted as the blonde continued,  
"You almost _bought_ it, Poison. _TWICE today._ But it wasn't enough for you to put _yourself_ in danger, no, you had to put _Girl_ in danger, too--!?"  
    "It wasn't like that--"  
"Really, then what was it like," Kid spat, coming within inches of the other man's face.  
Party Poison shook his head, shrugging slightly,  
"I just....I just wanted--"  
"That's right. _You_ wanted. It's always about _you. You_ wanted to catch the Mad Gear show, like _you_ wanted to go out and avenge Cherri-Cola, like _you_ wanted to go and check out that abandoned lot the other day to impress Go-Go. And where is _she_ now, huh? Where is she?"  
    The neon-haired man shook his head, his head bowed as Kid went on,  
"She's with S.C.A.R.E.C.R.O.W...'cause she got caught up in your _bullshit._ "  
Fun Ghoul shook his head and started forward; Jet Star quickly grabbing him and holding him back.  
Girl bit her lip as Kobra Kid gave Party Poison another hard shove,  
"I'm so fucking _sick_ of it. You and your games. You don't _deserve_ to be our leader...not when you don't even fucking care about the people around you."  
    He then turned and stormed back to the Diner, shoving passed the others in anger. Party Poison cleared his throat, his eyes downcast as Fun Ghoul came up to him,  
"Hey, don't listen to him, okay? He's just pissed off..."  
The red head nodded, waving him away,  
"You...uh....you guys should go on inside. That gas cloud's headed this way. Wouldn't want you to get caught in it."   
    To this, they did as he said, albeit hesitantly; Girl glancing back one last time before heading in.  
Stepping up behind him, the Doctor cleared his throat and placed a hand on Poison's shoulder,  
"C'mon. Come with me..."  
Glancing over his shoulder at the Doctor, he nodded shortly and followed him back to TARDIS.  
  
    ~ø~ _  
  
_"We gonna go back and pick up the car?"  
Poison said softly as he leaned back against the railing. The Doctor shook his head,  
"Not just yet. We'll have to wait for the smog to dissipate...unless you want to pay another visit to death's door..."  
He snickered at that, shaking his head with a smirk,  
"Nah...I'm good. Hit my _quota_ for today..."  
    They both silenced then, Party Poison bowing his head thoughtfully,  
"I really fucked up, didn't I?"  
"Well, I wouldn't say _that_..."  
He glanced over at the fiery-haired man, clearing his throat,  
"But it was pretty bad, yeah."  
Poison laughed at that, almost in shame. He ran a hand through his hair, forcing a smile,  
"If I stay...if this business with the angels keeps up...it's gonna get them all killed, isn't it? Be honest, Doc."  
    The Doctor straightened, quickly waving him off,  
"Oh, what? No! No, no, of course not..."  
Party Poison glared at him blankly. With a cough, the Doctor went back to fiddling with the controls,  
"Not necessarily..." _  
_To that Party Poison laughed again, leaning over as he crossed his arms. His gaze then fell to the floor and he coughed, shaking his head,  
"So, how bad is it in the 40s? Is it total piss?"  
    "Not completely," the Doctor began, shaking his head,  
"I don't think so, anyway. Well, aside from the impending _war._.."  
The red head nodded, biting his lip as the Doctor continued,  
"And there's no _wif_ i...not much in the _raygun_ department, either, I'm afraid..." _  
_ Rubbing his forehead, Party Poison forced a smile,  
"Yeah, I was worried about that..."  
They silenced again, the Doctor clearing his throat, _  
_"It doesn't have to end, you know...not like _this, anyway._.." _  
_He rounded the console, leaning back against it as he reached Party Poison,  
"You could always run away..."  
    Party Poison smiled at that, his eyes catching the ship lights,  
"And go _where?"  
_ "Are we forgetting where we're standing," the Doctor began, a grin striking his face.  
With a gentle pat to the console dashboard, he took another run around it; throwing his arms out to the sides as he twirled in majestic fashion,  
"Anywhere in time and space, anywhere at all! Just say the word, Michael. The universe is at your _fingertips_..."  
    Poison snorted at that; eying the Doctor curiously,  
"Bullshit." _  
_" _Is_ it?"  
The Doctor grinned as he began to flick at the controls, the TARDIS jolting into motion,  
"Anywhere you want to go, whatever you want to see. Any star, any planet."  
He paused a moment as Party Poison strolled over to him, the red head gaping up at the glowing pillar at the centre of the room.  
    "All of time and space, Michael..."  
Party Poison glanced back over at him, a look of curious wonder on his face as the Doctor continued,  
"Where do you want to start?" _  
  
_ ~ø~ _  
  
   _ "All of time and space, I said," the Doctor began, glaring at him in total disbelief,  
"Anywhere in the universe....and you chose a seedy _, fast food_ joint."  
Party Poison grinned, bits of lettuce and tomato hanging from his lips as he took another bite from the greasy burger in his hands,  
"Yep."  
"Unbelievable."  
"Hey," he began, wiping his mouth on his glove,  
"You try eating pasted up _pig anus_ for 7 years. You'd want a double cheeseburger, too."  
    He put it down a moment and leaned back, locking his hands behind his head as he glanced around at the other patrons,  
"So, what year is this, again?" _  
_"2008."  
"And where are we...?"  
"Hollywood Boulevard...well not far from, anyway."  
    "That's where Mann's is isn't it?"  
"Oh, the _Chinese Theatre_? Yes, yes it is," the Doctor began, rubbing his forehead sorely,  
"Why? Do you wanna go there?"  
The red head straightened, looking to him in surprise,  
"Can we?" _  
  
_ ~ø~  
  
    "Ahh, how exciting," the Doctor groaned as they strolled down the Walk of Fame, disgruntled look on his face,  
"A tourist _trap._ "  
Party Poison nodded, perking up at the sight of an ice cream cart,  
"Ooh, Doc! Let's get that shit!"  
The Doctor rolled his eyes and followed after him silently.   
    They continued walking after purchasing two cones, the red head shoving a hand in his pocket,  
"It's been forever since I had Rocky Road." _  
_"What? There's no _ice cream_ in 2019?"  
"Ain't no _cows_ ," the red head began, shaking his head,  
"They all got _nuked_ when the bomb dropped."  
    He grinned then, glancing fondly over at the Doctor, _  
_ "Thanks for this, by the way," he nodded to the cone,  
"You're a real nice date, you know?"  
The lanky man snickered at this, shaking his head,  
"Oh, stop, _you..."  
_ As they strolled down the walk, they began pointing at the various names that littered it. The Doctor pointed at one, carefully stepping around it with a smile,  
"Doris Day."  
Party Poison jabbed his thumb back as they passed one,  
"Donald Duck!"  
    The Doctor grinned as he pointed at another, and spun in a circle, kicking his leg from side to side,  
"Michael Jackson!" _  
_"Great scott," Party Poison came to a stop, grabbing the Doctor by the arm as he pointed to the star they were about to walk over,  
"Look, Doc. It's your buddy, Michael J. Fox." _  
_Coming to a bench, they both sat down, watching the crowd for a moment or two. Finally, the Doctor shook his head, frowning in confusion,  
"I don't get it, though...Why come _here_? You've been here before, haven't you? Why not go some place....exciting and _new_! I could take you to see planets! Whole different _galaxies_! Places you'd never even _dream_ of!! Anywhere in the universe. Did you know, there is a Disneyland in outer space?" _  
_ Party Poison grinned, his eyes lighting up as he took another lick of ice cream,  
"Get out...!"  
"No, I'm serious! It's on a planet called 'Clom'. Sister planet to Raxacoricofallapatorius. Part of the Raxas Alliance."  
He leaned over, looking Poison right in the eyes,  
"How about it? You wanna see it?"  
    The neon-haired man dwelled on the thought for a minute, eventually shaking his head as he got up from his seat,  
"Nah. I wanna find Matt Damon's star."  
To this, the Doctor slumped and followed after him; groaning loudly,  
"Come on!! Where's your sense of adventure!?"  
    Continuing down the strip, Party Poison paused as he caught sight of a young couple heading toward them. A boy, with mousey hair and a black leather jacket, had his arm wrapped around a colorfully dressed girl with short, black hair. He straightened as the boy pointed to the ground, hearing him laugh joyfully,  
"Matt Damon!"  
The girl snorted as she looked at it, punching him playfully in the arm,  
"You and your Matt Damon _boner.._."  
"Hey, Matt Damon is the best goddamn actor on the fucking _planet_ and ain't nobody alive can tell me otherwise..." _  
_ He watched from afar as they shared a small kiss, quickly turning in the opposite direction as they started toward him. He hurried back down the sidewalk, rushing passed the Doctor in haste,  
"I'm done here. Let's go."  
"Wha-- Michael!?"  
The Doctor spun and chased after him, dropping his ice cream in the process.  
      
    ~ø~  
  
    "Michael! Michael, would you wait a moment!!"  
Party Poison turned sharply as he reached the TARDIS, the Doctor motioning to the looming theatre behind him,  
"What the _hell_ was that about?"  
He shook his head, avoiding eye contact as he shrugged,  
"Nothing...it was uh...it was nothing."  
He eyed the young man suspiciously, seeing that something was wrong. Not wishing to press, he folded his arms and cleared his throat,  
    "I take it you want to go someplace else, then."  
The neon-haired man nodded shortly,   
"Yeah..."  
"Someplace _exciting_ I hope," the Doctor grumbled as he marched inside, shaking his head,  
"You know, I'm surprised you aren't ill after having all that _junk_ earlier. No doubt your diet of _puppy chow_ has thrown off your digestive system. I figured all that would be a bit of a shock to your--"  
    He glanced up to see that Party Poison had not joined him and hurried back outside,   
"Michael?"  
He cringed as he was met of the sight of the red head doubled over at the curb and he quickly turned away, as not to get sick himself,  
"Ooh, oh....oh dear."  
Glancing over his shoulder, he cringed again and swallowed hard, putting a hand over his mouth,  
"Are you going to be all right?"  
His query was answered by another violent heaving sound and he swallowed hard, becoming a tad nauseous himself,  
"I'll take that as a _'no'_..."  
    ~ø~  
  
    "Thank you for not _yarking_ in my TARDIS, by the way..."  
"You're welcome," Poison groaned as he came up the stairs, placing a hand over his mouth as he felt his stomach beginning to churn again. The Doctor sighed, shaking his head as he circled the console to face him,  
"I told you that wasn't a good idea."  
"Totally worth it, though."  
    The neon-haired man groaned again as he slowly made his way across the room and sat down on another set of stairs; watching the Doctor fiddle with the controls again.  
"So, where to, now? Or is it home for you?"  
The vibrant-haired man shook his head, drumming his cheek thoughtfully,  
"No, not yet...."  
"Well, then, where to?"  
    "How about," Poison began, pushing himself up from his seat,  
"The Hollywood sign."  
"What," the Doctor whined, abruptly turning in his direction,  
" _The Hollywood si_ \-- I'm _sorry_ , do I look like some kind of cheesy _tour guide_ to you? Here to take you _celebrity watching_ or....or to cruise around _Beverly Hills_!?"  
    "Can we just go, Doc," the red-head rubbed his temple with a smirk,  
"After that you can take me wherever your fuckin' hearts desire."  
"Fine. What year?"  
"Don't matter. Just make it night time, a'ight?"  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    They clambered out of the TARDIS, a strong, summer wind greeting them. The Doctor folded his arms and leaned against the door frame as Party Poison stepped out,  
"Here we are. Perfectly boring old Hollywood... _again_."  
Poison grinned as he gazed at the glittering landscape, shaking his head,  
"Didn't you have a _date_ to catch down there, Doc?"  
    "Ah, the Little Tramp can wait...." _  
_He glanced back at the Doctor and raised an eyebrow, the Doctor making a face at him,  
"It's a _character_."  
Coming fully out of the TARDIS, he walked up beside the neon-haired man,  
"What'd you wanna come _here_ for, anyway...?"  
    Party Poison shook his head,  
"No reason."  
The wind rustled loudly through the trees and shrubs around them, and they could hear the distant rumble of cars. Poison smiled as he gazed at the sparkling city;  folding his arms across his chest, _  
_"I remember going to the 'Walk' a lot as a kid. I'd stare at the names for hours....daydreaming. Haven't thought about that in ages...not since the Fires."  
    The Doctor glanced over at him, as he continued; the wind whipping his bangs into his face, _  
_"Hollywood's gone now...in 2019, I mean. Nothing but ruins....all of Cali is. Batt City's the only..."  
He laughed at that, bowing his head. After a moment, he coughed, nodding to the sign,  
 "I remember, one time in high school, I brought a girl up here after our first date. We walked the strip for a while and looked at all the names...then we came up here. Got busy behind the double O's..."  
"How _lovely_."  
    "Her name was Eri. Her dad was starting up a business that year...a pharmaceutical company... _Better Living Industries_."  
The Doctor turned to him, straightening as the man quickly wiped his eyes,  
"What happened to her?  
The red head forced a smile,  
"Well, up until a few days ago....she was one of _us_."  
    The Doctor's eyes softened at this,  
"Go-Go?"  
Poison nodded. They stood there silently, gazing down the hill at the glowing city below.  
A sad snicker escaped Poison and quickly he wiped his eyes again, shaking his head,  
"Damn, y'know. I never remembered the city lookin' that _bright_..."  
With a cough, he turned and headed back toward the TARDIS, leaving the Doctor on the hillside. The Doctor gazed out at the landscape a few moments more; head bowed as he followed shortly after.  
  
    ~ø~ _  
  
_ Girl sighed as she glanced out the window, listening idly as Jet Star and Fun Ghoul got ready to head out. Kobra Kid had already left to get the car, long before the rays of morning sun had caressed the pavement. She wondered where Party Poison and the Doctor had gone to, having seen the TARDIS leave shortly after the fight the night before. She wondered if he'd come back.  
Of course he would come back, this was his home.   
They were his family.  
    And it wasn't like he and Kobra Kid were new to arguing. They were prone to beating the shit out of each other now and again. This was normal for them.  
Somehow, though....this time felt different. Something felt different.  
She frowned as she made to stand up, strangely unable to move.   
As she glanced down at her leg, she could see why. Her eyes widened....and she let out a terrified scream. _  
  
~ø~  
  
    _They sat in silence for a few minutes, the TARDIS whirring and humming as she flew through time and space. The Doctor sighed as he fumbled with the controls, Party Poison offering a smile as he patted the console,  
"So, where we headed to? Venus? Mars? A stay on the moon? Am I gonna get _drops of Jupiter_ in my hair?"  
The Doctor shook his head, remaining silent. At this, Poison frowned, and propped himself against the dashboard,  
"Doc? Somethin' wrong?"  
    With a swift movement, the Doctor stopped the TARDIS mid flight and turned to the younger man, eyes glistening strangely,  
"It isn't fair..." _  
_Party Poison raised an eyebrow,  
"I'm sorry...what now?" _  
_ "Your life...this is your life we're talking about and your just gonna throw it all away," the Doctor shouted, shaking his head furiously,  
"That's what your planning to do, isn't it? _"  
_ "Doc--"  
"How," he shouted again, rounding the console as he ran his hands through his hair,  
"Enlighten me! How can you decide that so _easily_!? How can you give it no second thought--"  
"Doc, listen--" _  
_ "NO, POND. _YOU_ LISTEN--"  
He trailed off, his eyes widening at the realisation of what words had just escaped him.   
Party Poison shook his head, now thoroughly confused, _  
_" _Pond_?"  
The Doctor straightened at this, pressing his shaking finger tips to his lips as he quickly turned away.  
Party Poison took a step closer,  
"Doc?"  
    The Doctor quickly shook it off and turned back to the console; the TARDIS jerking into motion,  
"Nothing. Just forget it."  
"But Doc--"  
"I SAID, FORGET IT."  
    Party Poison quickly threw his hands up, a nervous smile flitting across his face,  
"O-Okay...okay....!"  
Silence reigned again, the Doctor finally speaking as he reset her coordinates,  
"Now, let's go get your _car..._." _  
  
_ ~ø~  
  
    They arrived back at the Diner, the morning sun already glowing in the blue green sky. The TARDIS, first dematerialising to drop the Trans Am at the door, reappeared at the end of the lot.  
Party Poison stepped out, shaking his head with a groan,  
"Did you have to be so rough with her? She's _delicate_ , Doc!"  
He jogged over to it, checking for any damage that may have been done in the drop. The Doctor snickered as he stepped out, arms folded across his chest, _  
_"And here I thought _I_ was the one with the _mechanical mistress_."  
    "Whoa, now," Poison laughed, eyes wide,  
"Your 'mechanical _what_ ', now?"  
"Oi, your words, not _mine_ \--"  
"I _never_ called her your _mechanical mistress."  
T_hey laughed for only a moment, the Doctor growing serious again,  
"This doesn't have to end, you know that. We could just keep travelling. You and me. We could out run them. Maybe take that trip to _Disneyland...."_  
"Keep running," Party Poison smiled, nodding thoughtfully,  
"You know...I kinda like the sound of that."  
    A shrill scream drew their attention and he pushed himself away from the car, running full speed to the Diner. The Doctor hurried after him.  
As they entered, they found Fun Ghoul and Jet Star doing their best to calm a panicking Girl, Party Poison pushing passed them to get to her,  
"Hey! Hey! What's the matter!? What is it?"  
"M-My leg," she stammered, hot tears streaming down her cheeks,  
"I can't move it!!"  
    Frowning, he gently checked said leg for anything that might have been broken; finding nothing.   
"You're leg is fine, sweet pea. What're you screamin' about?  
"No, it's not. It's _not_ fine....!"  
The Doctor straightened as he came around to the front of her, taking out the sonic screwdriver. Party Poison laughed at this, scratching his head,  
"Well, it sure as hell ain't broken sweetheart, so I don't know what it could be..."  
"It's....it's," she began, wiping her eyes as she glanced down at it again,  
"My leg is _Five_."  
    Poison straightened at that, confusion spreading across his face,  
"What?"  
"Stone," the Doctor interjected, gazing down at her sadly,  
"I think that's what she meant to say, isn't it, Girl?"  
The child sniffled, nodding shortly.  
    Party Poison looked up at him, his eyes wide as the man continued,  
"In her mind...her leg has turned to stone, it's why she can't move it..."  
He turned away from the group, hands on his hips as he bowed his head.  
"Doc," Poison straightened, quickly standing as the Doctor stepped away from them,  
"What do you mean her leg is stone? What are you talking about?"  
    "She's counting down..."  
"Counting down," he frowned, shaking his head in confusion,  
"Counting down to _what_!?"  
Reaching out, Party Poison roughly grabbed the Doctor by the shoulder and spun him around; taking the lapels of his jacket in hand,  
"What is she counting down to!!"  
"Her _death_!!"  
His hands slipped slowly from the Doctor's coat, his heart pounding,  
".....her what...?"  
    The Doctor looked to the frightened child, sucking in a deep breath,  
"The angels....have imprinted an image of themselves onto her retinas--"  
"Bullshit--"  
"--as the countdown continues, they will slowly but surely take her over--"  
"No--"  
"--once they've finished...she will be gone--"  
" _BULLSHIT_!!"  
    The red head shrieked, shaking his head,  
"She-she can't _die_....Doc, she can't-"  
"I'm sorry, Michael," the Doctor glanced back at him, shaking his head solemnly,  
"I'm so sorry...she's already half way--"  
"Don't _give_ me that," he shouted, grabbing the man's jacket again,  
"There's gotta be something you can do! She _can't_ die, Doc!"  
    The Doctor sighed deeply, motioning to the other two,  
"Close her eyes. It's the best I have, right now."  
"Will that stop it," Fun Ghoul queried, standing up as Jet Star put an arm around her.  
"No, but it will slow the countdown exponentially," the Doctor began pacing the floor, his mind racing,  
"It may give us time to think of something..."  
    "Well, how long have we got?" _  
_" _Four._ "  
They all turned to look at her, Jet Star quickly placing his hand over her eyes. The Doctor swallowed hard,  
"We've got till she hit's one. Then, it's over."  
"Poison," Girl whimpered, grabbing at her leg as she bit her lip,  
"I'm scared..."  
Walking back over to her, he knelt down and took her hand; giving her a peck on the forehead,  
"It's okay, sweet pea. You'll be fine."  
Jet Star turned to the Doctor and shook his head,   
"What can we do?"  
    The Doctor scratched his head, pulling at his hair as he paced,  
"Short of neutralising the angel threat, there's nothing we _can_ do..."  
"Well, then how do we do that?"  
"I don't know."  
"Doc--"  
"I honestly don't," he turned, looking Party Poison in the eye as he turned around,  
"I don't know..."  
    Fun Ghoul stood, nodding to the bazooka in the corner,  
"What if we blast 'em? Will that do it?"  
"No, no," the Doctor shook his head fiercely,  
"They'll just keep regenerating. Your rayguns and bazookas won't work this time..."  
"Then, what?"  
    He met eyes with Party Poison. With a deep breath, the flame-haired man  silently stood; his eyes downcast. Fun Ghoul frowned as he watched the man start toward the door, calling after him in concern, _  
"_ P? Hey, P!!"  
The Doctor ran out after him, following him to the car,  
"Michael!! Michael, don't do this!! There's has to be another way! We'll figure something out!!"  
    He spun on his heel as he reached the door of the Trans Am, the rumbling of a motorcycle in the distance filling his ears,  
"Neutralise the angels.You said it yourself."  
"Michael, please--"  
"If they disappear, she'll be safe, won't she?"  
"I don't know--"  
" _Won't she_!?"   
    The Doctor fell silent. The look on his face told Party Poison all that he needed to know.  
The neon-haired man nodded,  
"Then, it's good enough for me."  
Without another word, he climbed into the car and peeled away from the Diner, the Doctor frantically calling after him,  
"Michael!!" _  
_ Kobra Kid pulled up seconds afterward, frowning as he parked the bike and took off his helmet,  
"Went out to get the car, but it was already fuckin' gone. What the hell--," he paused, eying the desperate look on the Doctor's face in confusion,  
"Doc? What is it? What's going on?"  
The Doctor ran his hands through his hair and hurried for the TARDIS; his eyes glistening with tears,  
"No... no, no, no, not again! Not. Again!!" _  
_As he reached the door, he made to push it open only to find it locked. His eyes widened,  
"What...? Why!!?"  
    Yanking at it violently, he pounded on the door; his face growing red with anger,  
"Let me in!! Damn it, let me _in_!!"  
Kobra Kid shook his head as the Doctor continued to rant and rave,  
"Doc, calm down! What happened!?"  
The Doctor spun quickly on his heel, his mind racing as his eyes fell upon the motorbike,  
"You....you have to go. You have to stop him--"  
"Stop him? Who? Poison?"  
    "Yes, _Poison,_ you have to stop him! Go now!"  
"Why, what's going on," the blonde shook his head, glancing back at the Diner as Fun Ghoul stepped outside. The Doctor grabbed him by the shoulders, swallowing hard,  
"Michael is going to give himself up to the angels....the TARDIS is refusing to let me in, so the only person who has a chance, any chance at stopping him is _you,_ Kobra."  
The blonde straightened at this, glancing back over at Ghoul for affirmation.  
    Ghoul said nothing; shaking his head as he looked down the road at the dust cloud the Trans Am had left in it's wake.   
"Please, Kobra," the Doctor pleaded, shaking him back to attention,  
"If you care about him at all....even an _ounce._..go after him. Get him back before you lose him forever."  
Nodding, Kobra Kid quickly hopped back onto his motorcycle and tore off into the cloud after him.  
    Swallowing hard, the Doctor spun with fists clenched and ran back for the Diner, dust flying up around him as he went. He rushed around the counter and to the radio, sonicking it quickly as he picked up the receiver,  
"Michael! Michael, stop! Turn the car around and come back, just come back...!" _  
  
_ ~ø~  
  
    The car bounced as he hit a few misplaced stones, dirt and debris flying out from under the tires. Party Poison kept his focus on the road as the radio clicked in, gripping the steering wheel tight.  
 ** _"Michael, I know you can hear me! Just turn around and come back to the Diner. We'll figure something out!!"_**  
He picked up his receiver, shaking his head as he watched the speedometre reach 80,  
"There's no time."  
 _  
_ ~ø~  
      
    "No, time," the Doctor repeated, running a hand anxiously through his hair. Fun Ghoul straightened upon hearing Poison's voice over the radio. He sounded different.  
 The Doctor grew frantic, motioning to the TARDIS even though he knew Party Poison could not see it,  
"Of course there's time! You've got a whole _box f_ ull of it sitting on your front porch!! Michael, _please_...!!" _  
  
_ ~ø~ _  
  
**"Listen to me....if you do this...you will be creating a fixed point. These people, your friends, the ones YOU love....! You will NEVER be able to see them again."**  
_ Party Poison hesitated a moment before answering, swallowing hard as he started coming up on his destination,  
"I know that...!" _  
  
~ø~  
  
    **"But if I go...so do the angels, right?"**  
_ "I," the Doctor began, shaking his head furiously,  
"I don't know! Michael, _no one_ knows!!" _  
 **"But I'm what they want. If I go, they'll follow me. Tell me I'm wrong."**  
_ "You can't be sure of that--" _  
 **"Tell me I'm wrong, Doc!"**  
  
    _~ø~  
  
    The neon-haired man sighed as he received nothing but an ear full of static and he smiled a little, shaking his head,  
"Then....uh...then at least do this for me...I'm leaving the journal in the car. Give it to Girl, I want her to have it."  
He pulled up in front of the abandoned lot they had searched a few days before; swallowing hard as pulled the aged journal out of his waistband,  
"And...also..." _  
  
_ ~ø~  
  
    The Doctor straightened, placing a hand on the counter to brace himself, _  
 **"Tell' em something for me...would you, Doc? Just one last thing..."**  
_ Fun Ghoul shook his head at this, Girl beginning to sob behind him,  
"Doc...? Doc, what's he doing?"  
 _  
_ ~ø~  
  
    With a sniffle, Party Poison smiled and took from his jacket a bright yellow mask. He stared at it for a minute, then cleared his throat with a cough,  
"Tell them I said goodbye."  
He hung up the receiver. _  
  
_ ~ø~  
  
    At hearing the radio click, the Doctor straightened, his eyes widening as it turned to static,  
"Michael....Michael, no...don't.... _Michael_!!"  
Gripping the receiver tightly, he felt tears coming to his eyes.   
He was powerless to stop it...a second time.  
 _  
 **"PARTY POISON!!"**  
  
    _~ø~  
  
    Climbing out of the car, the neon-haired man took a deep breath and silently put on his mask. He then turned and started toward the abandoned building.  
In the distance, he could hear the rumbling of a motorbike.   
Dracs, he thought.  
But it wouldn't matter much longer.  
He went inside. _  
  
    _~ø~  
  
    Pulling up behind the Trans Am, Kobra Kid quickly jumped off of the bike and threw his helmet to the ground. He yanked his ray gun from its holster, frantically searching the complex,  
"Poison!!?"  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    Making his way through the dusty home, Party Poison reached the back door.  
Just beyond it, awaiting him at the end of the lot, stood a solitary, stone angel.   
With a deep breath, he grabbed hold of the knob and opened the door.  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    Kobra Kid shook his head as he received no response and hurried inside, checking through the rooms,  
"Poison!? Where are you!? Poison!?"  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    Poison slowly walked out to the angel, beginning to feel himself shake. A smile flitted across his face and he shook his head, snorting softly,  
"Come on...knock it off, _Milligram_...you ain't afraid of no statue..." _  
  
_ ~ø~  
  
    Girl whimpered as she kept her eyes on Jet Star's hand, her body quivering in fright, _  
"Three..."  
_ Fun Ghoul straightened as the Doctor hung up the receiver, and they exchanged silent glances. The Doctor quickly averted his gaze...  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    Kobra Kid shook his head, finding the rooms to be empty,  
"Where...where, where, where...!?"  
He glanced out of the back windows, his eyes widening as he watched Party Poison head out to the statue in the yard. _  
_"Poison...?" _  
  
_ ~ø~  
  
    Taking a deep breath, he slowly approached the angel; keeping his eyes on it,  
"Okay..."  
He pulled his ray gun from its holster then, extending his arm out to the side,  
"Okay..."  
He dropped it into the dirt beside him; swallowing hard,  
"Let's do this, then...c'mon...you and me, _mother fucker_ , let's tango..."  
  
    ~ø~ _  
  
_ Fun Ghoul spun on his heel as Girl broke into uncontrollable sobs, shaking his head as he ran to her. He took her hand and she squeezed it tightly. _  
"Two,"_ she whispered, tears beading up on her eyelashes.  
Glancing back at the Doctor, his eyes widened,  
"Doc, you gotta do something... _help her!_ "  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    Running for the door, Kobra Kid quickly barrelled outside as he watched Party Poison place both hands behind his head,  
"No...no!!" _  
  
_ ~ø~  
  
    "Doc, c'mon! There's gotta be something!!"  
"There isn't," The Doctor choked, shaking his head fiercely,  
"I'm sorry!!"  
  
    ~ø~  
  
    Behind him, Party Poison could hear Kobra Kid calling his name and he straightened. _  
"POISON!!"  
_ Swallowing hard, a tear slipped out from underneath the mask as he gazed at the angel; his body beginning to shake, _  
"Die with your mask on...!"  
_ He took a deep breath... _  
  
**"POISON!!!"**  
_

 


	12. Chapter 12

**I'll Be Seeing You**

They waited on baited breath for a few moments; the Doctor expecting her to finish the countdown any second. What felt like ages passed. Nothing happened. The Doctor straightened at this and hurried over, flashing the sonic screwdriver at her. Jet Star raised an eyebrow, his heart racing rapidly,

"Doc?"

He tensed as he checked it; his eyes softening as he took in the reading,

"Oh, no..."

~ø~

The TARDIS materialised in the abandoned lot, the Doctor quickly stepping out. He was met with the image of Kobra Kid, kneeling in the dirt. A stone angel stood a few feet away from him; a wide smile on its face. Fun Ghoul stepped out behind him, eyes wide as he eyed the bright, yellow gun laying in the grass nearby,

"That's..."

The blonde shook his head, keeping his focus on the angel,

"Wh-where is he, Doc? He was right here a second ago..."

The Doctor solemnly stepped over to him; carefully pulling him to his feet,

"Take him, Ghoul..."

Nodding, the dark-haired man hurriedly stepped over to Kobra Kid and led him back to the TARDIS as the Doctor went to retrieve the gun.

He picked it up carefully, gently cradling it in his hands. He then shot the angel a dirty glare and snarled, but found himself unable to say anything. Turning back for the TARDIS, he glanced back once more, finding the angel had disappeared...

~ø~

Korse stood at the window of his office, gazing out at the quiet city below. The intercom sitting on his desk buzzed suddenly, and he turned, pressing the button,

"Come in."

In stepped a woman wearing a grey, business suit; her heels clicking on the tile floor.

Korse smiled,

"Miss Eri. What have you found?"

"The woman known as Oracle has spoken," she began,

"I know the identity of the man with the blue box."

"Yes," the bald man straightened, his eyes widening,

"Then, out with it. Who is he?"

"A doctor," she began,

"By the name of John Smith."

Korse frowned,

"John Smith..."

"Yes, sir."

"I see."

He turned back to the window, hands behind his back,

"There are no Killjoys registered under that name."

"He isn't a Killjoy, sir," she continued, shaking her head,

"From what Oracle said, he is just a doctor."

"And the box? What is that, then?"

Eri nodded shortly,

"The Oracle says that the box is simply his transport. Newly invented. Hailing from England."

Korse raised an eyebrow as he turned back to the woman,

"And you believe her?"

She was silent a moment.  
"Yes, sir. Her neuroscans came back positive. That man in the photograph is Dr. John Smith, here on holiday from England."

Korse nodded shortly,

"Then, thank you, Miss Eri. You may leave, now."

The woman turned and started back for the door, pausing as she reached the doorway,

"Oh, and sir, there is one more thing."

"Yes, what is it?"

Turning to face him fully, she smiled,

"The leader of the Killjoys, known in the desert as Party Poison, was successfully exterminated this morning at 0800 hours."

Korse spun to face her, his eyes wide and mad,

"Really, now? Is that so?"

Eri nodded silently. To this, the man smiled,

"Well, then...it looks like someone will be getting a raise. Carry on."

With a bow, the woman took her leave; closing the door behind her. She took a few steps into the hall, stopping short as she felt something hit her cheek.

Reaching up, she touched her fingertips to it. Pulling back her hand, she found them to be wet. She frowned in confusion as she gazed at the droplets; unsure of what to make of them. Shaking her head, she wiped them on her skirt and continued silently on down the hall...

~ø~

_**"Bad news from the Zones, tumbleweeds."** _

The five of them sat in the Diner, only half listening to the radio broadcast in the background.

Girl sniffled as she held the beaten journal in her hands, shaking her head,

"It's not true, right," she began, looking to the others for reassurance,

"Poison can't be gone...he can't be gone!"

The Doctor shook his head, coughing to clear the lump in his throat,

"I'm sorry...but it's true-"

"I didn't ask _you_ ," she screamed angrily, tears gliding down her cheeks.

Turning to Kobra Kid, she shook her head; nearly incoherent through her sobs,

"He's not gone...tell me he's not gone. Tell me you got to him...you had to...!"

Kneeling down to look her in the eye, he shook his head solemnly,

"Sorry...kiddo. But it's true-"

With this she broke down completely, tightly hugging the journal into her arms as he pulled her in,

"No! _No_!"  
Fun Ghoul and Jet Star sat at the booth behind them; the shorter man pushing away from the table as the child continued to wail. He walked to the window silently; hands locked behind his head.

Jet Star coughed, wiping his eyes as he looked to the Doctor,

"So, what now, Doc? What do we do, now?"

"Do," the Doctor frowned, turning away from them to stand at the bar,

"What do you mean _do_?"

"About Poison," the curly-haired man continued, shaking his head,

"We've gotta save him...I mean, we're gonna save him, right? From those things? The angels-"

"What are you talking about? What's done is _done_! There is no _saving_ Michael from anything, now," the Doctor spat bitterly, a cold tone in his voice,

"He's _dead_."

Girl's cries grew harder at this and Fun Ghoul clenched his fists, spinning sharply on his heel,

"You shut the _fuck_ up!"

He began to charge at the Doctor, Jet Star quickly jumping in his way.

The Doctor shook his head, turning to look at them,

"What's the matter? You should all be grateful...he saved your _lives_. No thought to himself. And he _was_ right...the angels are gone. You're safe, now."

Kobra Kid stood up at that, fists clenched as the Doctor continued,

"Of all people, I thought _you_ would be pleased to hear that, _Kobra_... _'the angels can have at it'_. Isn't that what you said? Looks like you got your wish! Hope you're _happy_..."

He was startled to receive a fist to his jaw and stumbled backward, catching himself on the counter.

Kobra Kid glared at him, hot tears in his eyes as he shook his head,

"Shut up."

"Or what," the Doctor sneered, pulling himself to his feet,

"You'll hit me again? Well, c'mon then! What are you waiting for?"

He stepped forward, arms spread to either side,

"Take your best shot..."

Reeling back, Kobra Kid landed the next punch square in the Doctor's face, and he flew back against the bar; his nose beginning to bleed,

"Oh yeah, that's more like it-"

Kobra grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and punched him again, the Doctor coming back up with a hard laugh,

"Just gonna _beat_ it out of me...? Because I said something you didn't like? It's all you know how to do _, isn't it_?"

He punched him a third time, the Doctor falling to the floor with a laugh. Jet Star quickly ran over, grabbing Kid by the shoulders and pushing him back,

"Cut it out! Just back off, now."

"You know, Kobra," the lanky man smiled, wiping his nose and lips of blood,

"With friends like you, Michael didn't need _enemies_..."

The blonde went for him again, Jet Star shoving him back,

"Stop it! Just let it go!"

"It's okay, Jet Star," the Doctor grunted, sitting up with a sneer,

"Let him throw his little _tantrum_. I'm a _big boy_...I can handle him."

Fun Ghoul straightened as he heard the smooth voice of Dr. Death Defying kick in after the lastest song had ended, barely able to hear what was being said over the pair's bickering,

"Guys, shut up a minute!"

They all silenced.

_**"This next one goes out to our dearly departed Murder Wizard...Party Poison, the zones will remember you."** _

Kobra Kid pulled away from Jet Star as the song began to play, the audio popping and fizzing with age,

_'"I'll be seeing you...in all the old familiar places..."'_

He walked to the window, head bowed. They sat there for a few minutes, listening in complete silence.

As it finished, Girl sniffled and looked down at the book in her arms,

"You said he wanted me to have this?"

She turned to the Doctor, tears glittering down her cheeks,

"Why? It's just his grandpa's journal, isn't it?"

Clearing his throat, the Doctor slowly stood and straightened dusted off his clothes,

"No... it isn't."

She frowned as he sat down at the booth with her, raising an eyebrow as he nodded to it,

"It's his _life_."

They all turned at that, surprised. Slowly, Fun Ghoul and Jet Star joined them at the table, the Doctor motioning to it again,

"Go on...open it up."

With an uncertain nod, she set the beaten book on the table and opened it to the first page. It was yellowed from age and the ink had faded quite a bit, but the text was still discernible,

"June 22nd, 1940..."

- _ **June 22nd, 1940**_ -

_**You will not believe where I wound up.** _

_He gasped as he opened his eyes. The desert he had been standing in just seconds ago had been replaced with a painting of a Joshua tree. He clenched his fists and squeezed his eyes shut; tears escaping them as he slowly took of his mask. It was done. His life was over._

_Party Poison was no more._

_Slowly turning around, he straightened as his eyes fell upon the image of a naked couple gaping back at him. He glanced down, eying the wedding dress on the floor and the discarded tuxedo near it._

_He swallowed hard,_

_"Uh...congrats...?"_

_**I don't think they were too happy to see me, though.** _

_The woman quickly pulled the covers over herself as she screamed; her new husband jumping out of bed._

_The red head let out a whistle as the naked man ran toward him,_

_"Well, ma'am. I must say...you definitely have good taste!"_

_He spun and bolted out the door; running across the Motel parking lot to the road. Into the middle of the street, he ran, his eyes wide as he gaped at the scenery._

_**It's a whole different place. There's people here, but they ain't zombies. There's no radiation, no chaos. No Dracs, no S.C.A.R.E.C.R.O.W ...** _

_A massive, rounded car honked at him suddenly and he stepped back out of the road; watching it drive on passed. He soon heard shouting again, and glanced back to see that the man was tearing across the asphalt after him. Eyes wide, he turned tail and fled; out running the stark naked man by a good 10 feet._

_**And apparently, no decency laws.** _

-ø-

_**I ain't got any money. I only picked up this journal 'cause I found a dime on the ground. This thing cost me a fucking DIME. Can you believe that!? Four carbons to go to Mad Gear, but a journal costs a DIME. AND I got a free pen with it!** _

_He raised an eyebrow as he walked out of the shoppe, journal in hand. He started down the sidewalk, gaining stares as he went. A couple of girls giggled as he looked their way and he shot them a wink. They dissolved into fits of laughter and ran off._

_Maybe it wouldn't be so bad here, after all._

_He found himself coming upon another store front and looked in the window. A large Uncle Sam propaganda poster was taped to it. At this, he smiled._

_**I ain't got no place to go, though...and I'm fucking starving. Like you said, there's a war coming, so I'm gonna enlist. This ain't Batt City, anymore, this is California...the place I grew up. Well, not yet, exactly. But she will be...and I'm gonna protect her.** _

_**And who knows? Maybe Matt Damon will play me in that movie, yet.** _

-ø-

Fun Ghoul laughed as she finished reading the entry, wiping his eyes of tears,

"Him and that Matt Damon _boner_..."

Girl let out a cackle as she looked to the bottom of the page and continued,

"#OHMYGODMATTDAMONWON'TBEBORNFORANOTHERFORTYYEARS, #savemeprivateryan!"

They howled with laughter at that, Jet Star shaking his head as he pulled the book around to look at it,

"Did he _really_ put hash tags!?"

Fun Ghoul snorted as he leaned over Jet Star's shoulder, eying them at the bottom of the page,

"He fucking did, dude. Oh my God...!"

Girl pulled the book back over then, flipping to the next page,

"June 25th, 1940..."

- _ **June 25th, 1940**_ _-_

_**THEY SHAVED IT OFF. IT'S ALL GONE.** _

_He stared blankly at his reflection in the mirror, eyebrows furrowing as he ran his hand over the fuzzy hairs on his freshly buzzed head. He then looked to the floor, a whimper escaping him as he picked up a strand of vibrant red hair._

_**I FEEL SO VIOLATED. YOU DO NOT EVEN KNOW.**_ _**I CAN'T EVEN FORM THOUGHTS RIGHT NOW, SORRY GUYS.**_

_**#itburnsus #myprecious** _

-ø-

The laughter continued as they read through the entries, flying through the years in a matter of hours. With the sun now beginning to set, Girl flipped to the next entry; wiping her eyes as she finished giggling,

" _January 26th, 1944. D-Day is a little less than 5 months away. Am I scared? Fuck, no! I already know what's gonna happen. But there is something that's been eating at me...something that's been haunting me for 4 years, now and it won't leave me alone. That thing would be you._

_You, Jet, Ghoul, and Girl._

_I fucking miss you_ _ **.**_ "

They stopped as she finished and she handed the journal to Fun Ghoul as she began to cry again.

The room was silent for a few moment.

"Keep going," Kobra Kid said finally, clearing his throat.

The Doctor glanced over at the blonde man with a sigh,

"You could hear it better if you came over here, you know..."

Kid refused to say anything further, keeping his back turned from them.

Clearing his throat, Fun Ghoul continued reading the entries one by one, finally coming to April,

"April 25th, 1944."

- _ **April 25th, 1944**_ _-_

_**I've been officially promoted to Sergeant. I'm due to ship out in a little over a month. It'll be Normandy for me. Looks like I'm going to war, after all.** _

_"Hey, Milligram!"_

_The dark-haired man turned slowly as he heard someone call to him, the sunlight making his olive green dress uniform appear vibrant. Behind him, a younger man with comically large, rounded spectacles came running up. He wore a matching uniform,_

_"I got a question to ask you."_

_**I think my great uncle just asked me to sing for his band at the USO tonight. That was trippy shit. But I guess this is it. Tonight must be the night.** _

_**The night I meet Grandma.** _

-ø-

They all cringed, Fun Ghoul slowly pushing the journal over to Jet Star,

"Here, you read this one."

"Oh, _thanks_."

The curly-haired man shook his head as he continued to read from the entry,

" _I don't know what she looks like. The family didn't have any pictures of her from when she was young...she was kind of a black sheep, you know? The closest thing we had was their wedding photo, but the pic was so faded, you couldn't make out their faces_..."

-ø-

_**I remember meeting her once as a kid. My parents took her to the movies and made me come along, too. She was all shriveled and tiny...kinda looked like the Crypt Keeper. Really freaked me out. Hoping that's just an old people thing...** _

_He peeked out from behind the lush red curtain, his eyes wide as he eyed the numerous patrons in the dance hall. He turned to the scrawny, bespectacled man beside him, swallowing hard,_

_"That's a lot of fucking people, Ben."_

_"Relax, you'll be fine. I've heard you sing before, you're great."_

_"Yeah, well," the dark-haired man swallowed hard, clenching and opening his fists,_

_"Singing in front of a crowd is a lot different then singing Mad Gear in the shower..."_

_"Mad-what?"_

_He straightened, turning to Ben with wide eyes. A light then went on in his head, and he nodded thoughtfully, turning his gaze to the ceiling,_

_"Oh, right...he's not alive yet, either..."_

_"We ready to go," one of the other band mates queried, poking his head behind the curtain._

_The bespectacled man gave him a thumbs up, turning back to the him with a smile,_   
_"Don't worry. You'll do fine! And who knows, maybe one of the gals in the crowd will really like it..."_

_Ben gave him a pat on the shoulder as he grabbed his guitar and headed out onto the stage, and he paused; cocking his head to the side as he snorted,_

_"'G_ _**als** _ _'? Really?"_

-ø-

_**The first couple of songs the band played went okay I guess. I'd heard 'em enough times to fake the words when I had to. Everyone seemed to like it, too, so that was a plus.** _

_He glanced over at the other three in the band, Ben nodding to him as the next song started._

_With a deep breath, he took the microphone in hand; his eyes scanning the crowd as he began to sing,_

_"I'll be seeing you...in all the old familiar places..."_

_**It was Grandma Bev's favourite from what I heard. The song always reminded her of Milligram. This was probably why.** _

_"That this heart of mine embraces...all day through~"_

_He cleared his throat as the song went on, his eyes beginning to tear up. Furiously, he blinked them away,_

_"In that small cafe...the..."_

_**During the middle of the song, I started to fuck up. I forgot the words. Everything started hitting me and I mean EVERYTHING. 2019, the Dracs, the angels...the war, D-Day. All of it.** _

_**Especially you guys. I couldn't stop thinking about you.** _

_He glanced over at the others, then out at the crowd. People were beginning to stare,_

_"The..."_

_Nothing. The lump in his throat had grown too large. Biting his lip, he turned back to the others and silently shook his head; letting the mic drop as he turned and walked off stage._

_**I choked.** _

-ø-

_He sat on the back step, head in his hands. He could hear the band playing on without him, Ben having taken over the singing parts. Clearing his throat, he wiped his eyes then and leaned back, reaching into his jacket. He pulled out a journal and held it in his hands for a moment. Reaching back into his coat, he took another object from within its folds and stared at it._

_It was a bright yellow domino mask._

_"I really liked your song."_

_Startled, he turned sharply and straightened. A young woman in a black and white floral dress stood in the door way, a boxy, black hat pinned in her brown hair. She was smiling at him._

_He nodded, the woman taking this opportunity to sit down beside him,_

_"Thanks."_

_She pulled a small box from her top, then, and with her teeth, took a cigarette from it,_

_"You got a light, soldier?"_

_Taking a lighter from his pocket, he handed it to her and she took it, lighting her smoke,_   
_"Thanks."_

_She went to hand it back to him, and he shook his head,_

_"Keep it."_

_The woman shrugged at this, and placed both objects back into her top._

_"So, what happened in there?"_

_He shook his head, wiping his nose as he gazed down at the mask in his hands,_

_"Dunno...just choked."_

_She eyed the mask and smiled,_

_"Something from your circus days?"_

_"No," he snickered, putting it back in his coat,_

_"It's just...a little something from back home."_

_"And where is 'home'?"_

_He turned to her, swallowing hard as his mind wandered to the Diner,_

_"A long, long way from here."_

_The woman nodded, taking a drag from her cigarette,_

_"Homesick, huh?"_

_He nodded slowly. She cleared her throat,_

_"Your wife must be missing you something awful."_

_With a smirk, he shook his head; sheepishly running a hand over his hair,_

_"Nah...I ain't got one."_

_"Oh," she leaned a little closer, eying him fondly,_

_"Is that so?"_

_He glanced over at her as she ran a hand up his leg and swallowed hard as he felt it wander some place very personal,_

_"Whoa."_

-ø-

"Ugggh!"

The entire group exclaimed, even Kobra Kid who had now inched a few feet closer. The Doctor swallowed hard, his stomach beginning to churn,

"Well, that escalated _quickly_."

Jet Star took a deep breath as he continued reading,

" _As you would guess, what happened next was nothing short of spectacular._ "

-ø-

_**I took her out to one of the Jeeps and long story short, we totally BANGED. Like...car rockin', legs over her head, can't walk straight the next morning, kinda bang. It got so steamy in that car, I thought I was Leo D. for a second.** _

_The woman let out a pleasured cry as her hand slapped against the steamy window._

_**'Cept I woulda won an Oscar for MY performance.** _

-ø-

"Ugh, God," Jet Star shoved the journal away and stood up, shaking his head furiously,

"I can't...! That's just _too_ gross...!"

The Doctor cringed as he carefully took the journal by one of it's corners and pulled it over to him, clearing his throat as he cautiously continued down the page,

" _Relax, guys. I know what you're thinking. I anticipated this, so I want you to turn to page 394..._ "

Frowning, the Doctor flipped through the pages until he reached one which had been earmarked with a yellow sticky note. On said sticky note were the words "Page 394".

He cleared his throat and began to read the entry, pulling a finger to his lip,

" _April 9th, 1992. John and Mary officially adopted their first child today. They are going to name him 'Michael'. He is our great grandson_ \- oh, thank _GOD_."

He slapped a hand down on the table and began to laugh, the others continuing to stare at him blankly. He coughed, then, straightening under their gazes,

"What? He was adopted! They're _not_ blood! That's _great_ news!"

"It's still nasty, Doc," Fun Ghoul stated blankly,

"She's his _grandma_."

"In _name_ only," the Doctor insisted, sitting back in his seat as he flipped back to the 1944 entries,

"It's better than it _was._ "

He began reading again.

-ø-

_**I've never heard a girl scream that loud before. We must've broken the sound barrier.** _

-ø-

The Doctor could feel their eyes on him and with a cough, he nodded to the journal,

"I'll just...skip down the page a bit."

-ø-

_**It was a race to put our clothes back on before they found us.** _

_The couple laughed as they hopped out of the Jeep, and he quickly took her hand, pulling her along behind him,_

_"Go, go, go!"_

_She let out a loud cackle as they ran down the road, turning the corner in a hurry to avoid detection._

_**She is so fucking hot, guys. I wish you could see this chick.** _

_He turned to her with a dopey grin, panting as they came to a stop on the next street,_

_"I don't think anybody saw us... we should probably get back to the dance."_

_The brown-haired woman nodded, smoothing her dress out with a giggle,_

_"Yeah, we should."_

_As they started back, he shoved his hands in his pockets; offering her a smile,_

_"So, you're a_ _**screamer** _ _."_

_At this, she laughed, looking to him with a satisfied smile,_

_"Well, you certainly gave me plenty of reasons to."_

_They dissolved into giggling again, and he sighed, scratching his neck sheepishly,_

_"What's your name?"_

_She smiled at this, shrugging her shoulders,_

_"Oh...that's not really important is it?"_

_He stopped, raising an eyebrow as she continued walking,_

_"I'm sorry, what?"_

_She glanced back at him over her shoulder, giving him an alluring wink,_

_"If you wanna know my name...you're gonna have to catch me, soldier."_

_He froze as she took off running, his jaw dropping._

_**And just like that it was wham, bam, thank you...Party Poison.** _

_He chased her back to the dance, trying to keep an eye on her as she weaved in and out of the crowds. He lost her as she ran out the back, hopping into her friend's waiting car. The car sped off and he was left standing in the alleyway, a stunned look on his face._

_**I know what Milligram's journal said and all...but I don't remember the night ending quite like this. I'm beginning to think maybe she wasn't dear old Granny, after all...** _

-ø-

They all frowned as they looked at each other, Jet Star shaking his head,

"Well, if she isn't his grandma, who is she?"

"I don't know," the Doctor began, eyebrow raised as he turned to the next entry,

"Let's find out."

- _ **April 28th, 1944**_ _-_

_**She's been on my mind 24/7 since the dance. I've been looking everywhere for her, but it's like she doesn't exist. Nobody saw her, this doesn't fucking make sense!** _

_He sighed as he finished writing and closed his journal, a voice coming from behind him,_

_"Milligram!"_

_Ben strolled up, smirking as he sat down on the bench beside him,_

_"You find this mystery girl, yet?"_

_"Nah," he shook his head, putting the journal back in his coat,_

_"Not yet."_

_"That's too bad. Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to come over for dinner tonight. My father wants to meet you. He's interested in hearing your thoughts on the war."_

_"My thoughts? It's awful and I want it to be over. But that ain't gonna happen for another year or so yet. Those are my thoughts, simple as that."_

_Ben nodded, a smile on his face,_

_"Yeah, I figured you'd say that. I told them about you, though...how you don't have any family here. My mom said she wants you to have a least one home cooked meal before we ship out. So, what do you say?"_

_**Who am I to turn down free food? Especially food that ain't mechanically processed cow guts.** _

_They started up the front walk that night, and he let out a whistle. The house looked like it came right off of a postcard._

_"Pretty nice digs you got here," he breathed,_

_"You guys must be rolling in it, huh?"_

_Ben turned to him with a grin,_

_"No, hardly. The house actually belongs to the church. My father's a pastor."_

_"Oh," he swallowed hard, tugging at his collar,_

_"You sure I won't catch fire steppin' in there?"_

_The bespectacled young man laughed, shaking his head,_

_"No. If my_ _**sister** _ _hasn't, you sure won't-"_

_The door swung open suddenly, and they both looked up to see a young woman in the doorway._

_His mouth dropped open in shock upon seeing her there,_

_"Holy-"_

_"-shit," she finished nervously, frozen in place._

_**Nope. Wasn't wrong. I fucked my Grandma.** _

-ø-

They all groaned in unison, Fun Ghoul burying his face in his hands,

" _Dude_..."

Girl made a face as the Doctor coughed, clearing his throat uncomfortably,

" _She looked as surprised as I did._ "

-ø-

_They exchanged nervous glances across the dinner table, her father clearing his throat,_

_"So, Milligram. Ben tells me you're a Sergeant," he began, wiping his mouth with a napkin._

_"Oh," he shrugged, shaking his head as he continually glanced back at the young woman sitting across from him,_

_"Yeah...I got promoted about a week ago...nothing special."_

_"Why, of course it is," the man interjected, taking a sip from the wine glass in front of him,_

_"It's a great honour, serving your country."_

_He nodded sheepishly, his mind wandering back to the desolated 2019 for a brief moment,_

_"Yes, sir. Figured I'd do what I could to protect what we have before it's gone..."_

_"Before what?"_

_Quickly, he shook his head and leaned forward a bit, propping his elbows on the table,_

_"Nothing...but...uh...enough about the job. I'm not in the mood to talk war tonight."_

_He glanced over at the woman again, a smile striking his face,_

_"In fact, I'm more interested to hear about your lovely family."_

_She scowled at him, swallowing hard as she turned to her father and forced a smile,_

_"May I be excused, Daddy? I have an essay to finish."_

_"Nonsense, Beverly," her father waved her off,_

_"We have a guest. School work can wait."_

_"Beverly? How weird, that was my_ _**grandma's** _ _name," the dark-haired man smirked, resting his chin on his hand,_

_"You're in school?"_

_She turned back to him, her nostrils flaring angrily,_

_"University."_

_"Ooh, what are you studying for?"_

_"To become a teacher," she quipped, shaking her head._

_"A teacher," he raised an eyebrow at this, leaning back in his chair as he folded his arms,_

_"How fascinating..."_

_"Yes, it is fascinating to see how many_ _**uneducated neanderthals** _ _are running around out there, shooting guns-"_

_"Beverly Ann!"_

_She jumped at the disapproving sound of her father's voice and turned to him with a smile,_

_"Yes, Daddy?"_

_"Don't be rude," he hissed, turning to the dark-haired man with a sigh,_

_"I'm very sorry. She usually minds better."_

_"Oh, I don't mind at all. I think it's good for her to be so," he paused a moment, searching for the right word,_

_"_ _**Prodigious** _ _. Wanting to help the_ _**uneducated** _ _and all..."_

_He shot her a grin, and she rolled her eyes, picking up her plate as she stood,_

_"I'll go start on the dishes. Excuse me..."_

_She began to gather up the other plates and he quickly, he stood, grabbing some as well,_

_"I'll help you with that!"_

_Bev straightened at that and shook her head, offering a smile,_

_"Oh, don't be silly. You're our guest. Sit down."_

_"But these plates look awfully filthy," he began, smiling down at her smugly,_

_"You could use my..._ _**strong arms** _ _... to help you scrub 'em."_

_"I'm plenty strong enough without your help," she hissed softly, snatching the dinnerware away from him,_

_"Thank you."_

_"Oh, I_ _**know** _ _you are," he winked, whispering softly,_

 _"It's a_ _**fond** _ _memory..."_

_Rolling her eyes, she elbowed him forcefully as she took the dishes; batting her eyelashes sweetly,_

_"Thank you, Sergeant."_

_He coughed painfully as she turned and walked into the kitchen; casually propping himself up on a chair._

_**I don't think she likes me very much.** _

- _ **April 30th, 1944**_ -

_**I can't get her off of my mind. Is that fucked up? She is my Grandma, so I guess it probably is. I can't help it though. She's nothing like I thought she'd be.** _

_"Bev, wait up!"_

_She turned quickly, rolling her eyes as she saw him jogging toward her,_

_"Oh, greaaat. It's_ _**you** _ _."_

_Her pace quickened, but he still caught up to her, cap in hand,_   
_"Can't we talk?"_

_"About what, Sergeant?"_

_"You can call me Mike, you know. Or Party Poison."_

_The woman turned to him, a look of confusion on her face as he began to laugh,_

_"O-Or you know, don't. Whatever."_

_They paused in the middle of the courtyard, Bev rolling her eyes as she turned to face him,_

_"Look, I'm sure you're a 'nice guy' and all, men like_ _**you** _ _always are. But it was a one time thing, okay? That's it. I'm not interested."_

_Turning away, she started back down the walk and he trailed after her, shoving his hands in his pockets,_

_"Well, you are pretty_ _**damn** _ _sure of yourself, aren't you? What makes you think I'd want more?"_

_"Because you've been following me like a lost little puppy," she groaned, hugging her books tightly,_

_"And quite frankly, I'd like you to stop."_

_"That's not what you said in the Jeep-"_

_She spun quickly and gave him a shove, her eyes wide in terror,_

_"Would you shut up about that!? If anyone finds out-"_

_"Oh, what? It'll tarnish your good little_ _**Christian** _ _girl image," he snickered softly._

_She whacked him in the arm, narrowing her eyes angrily,_

_"I mean it. No one can know about that, all right?"_

_"Aww, why not-"_

_"Beverly!"_

_A horrified look flashed across her face as she spun around. Another man, also dressed in military garb, was coming toward them. She smiled nervously as he put an arm around her,_

_"Richard!"_

_He planted a forceful kiss on her lips, to which she stiffened uncomfortably. As he pulled away, she shook her head; laughing nervously as she glanced over at the dark-haired man behind her,_

_"What...what are you doing here?"_

_"I'm shipping out in the morning, darling," he began, arm around her waist._

_She placed a hand on her heart, a sardonic tone in her voice,_

_"Oh, really? So soon?"_

_"I know you hate for me to go," he sighed, tousling her hair roughly,_   
_"That's why I want to spend the day with you. Make sure you're sick of my face before I leave."_

_"Oh, believe me," she sighed, shaking her head as she forced a smile,_

_"I already am."_

_The blonde man laughed at that and pinched her cheek forcefully,_

_"That's my Bevy. Such a kidder."_

_He then turned, finally noticing the man standing behind her,_

_"Oh, sorry. Didn't see you there? And you are?"_

_"Mike Milligram," he grinned, extending a hand forward,_

_"Sergeant. First Infantry Division."_

_"Ah, the singer from the other night! Unfortunate mishap. Don't worry, jitters get even the best of us."_

_His grip was tight as they shook hands, the blonde man smiling brightly,_

_"Richard Clark of the 101st. Beverly's fiancé."_

_**Turns out Grandma was a naughty girl.** _

_"Fian-Fiancé," the dark-haired man stammered, eyes wide in amusement as he turned to look over at her,_

_"Well, I'll be goddamned. You don't say. She didn't mention you."_

_She shifted uncomfortably, averting her gaze from him._

_"Well, my little Bevy doesn't quite have good footing in the vocabulary department, if you catch my drift. Isn't that right, sweetheart?"_

_She remained silent as he squeezed her; forcing a smile._

_Richard laughed at this, nodding to him respectfully,_

_"It was nice meeting you, Sergeant."_

_He smiled to him, waving as the couple turned and walked away,_

_"Nice meeting you, too..._ _**Dick** _ _."_

_Bev glanced back at him once more as they walked away and he straightened. Her expression was strange. It almost looked as if she didn't want to go._

_**This is turning into some straight up Days of our Lives shit, here, guys. I'll keep you posted.** _

-ø-

The Doctor shook his head as he turned to the next page, a smile flitting across his lips,

"This is _great_ stuff."

He caught the others staring at him again and coughed,

" _May 4th, 1944._ "

- _ **May 4th, 1944**_ _-_

_**I saw her again, today.** _

_"The plot thickens."_

_Bev jumped as she looked up from her papers to see him strolling up her front walk; slapping her hand to her heart,_

_"Gracious."_

_"So, how come you didn't tell me you were getting hitched to_ _**Dick Clark** _ _," he grinned, sitting down next to her on the porch swing,_

_"Kinda vital information, idn't it?"_

_"Not really," she seethed, shaking her head as she turned to him with a smile,_

_"Not for someone like_ _**you** _ _."_

_"Like me? And what would that be?"_

_"_ _**Unimportant** _ _," she went back to her essay, still smiling as he began to laugh._

_He placed a hand on his heart and straightened, leaning back in the swing,_

_"Why, miss, I am OFFENDED. Those are awfully hurtful words..."_

_"Good," she closed her book and stood, heading for the door,_

_"They were supposed to be."_

_He let out a whistle and shook his head, slapping his leg as he grinned,_

_"Wow. You're a little ball of fire, aren't you-?"_

_"Would you leave, please," she held her books to her chest, an annoyed look on her face,_

_"I don't want you here."_

_"Aww, well, that's too bad," he stood, hands on his hips as he sauntered toward her,_

_"'Cause you're mom invited me over for dinner."_

_Her face fell at that and he grinned, shooting her a wink as he turned and went in the house,_

_"See you inside..._ _**Bevy** _ _."_

_**Dinner went pretty smoothly. Bev couldn't keep her eyes off of me the whole time.** _

_He glanced up at her as she took his empty plate and smirked. She shot daggers back at him from her doe-like, brown eyes. Her father got up at this, clearing his throat softly as he started into the other room,_

_"Beverly. Could I have a word with you, please?"_

_The dark-haired man smirked at this, keeping his voice soft,_

_"Ooooh, somebody's in trouble."_

_The woman rolled her eyes, making sure her elbow hit him in the back of the head as she left the room,_

_"Coming, Daddy!"_

_**But things went south soon after.** _

_He paused on his way to the restroom, spotting the two of them in another room. Bev had her head bowed as he father hissed angrily at her,_

_"What is going on with you? I thought you were happy with Richard."_

_"I," she began, shaking her head as she forced a smile,_

_"I am happy, Daddy."_

_"Then, why are you looking at_ _**him** _ _like that?"_

_"I'm not sure what you're talking about."_

_The man folded his arms disapprovingly,_

_"Don't play dumb with me, young lady. I've seen the way you've been looking at the sergeant all night. Now, I don't know what's going on between you two, but it stops right now, do you understand me?"_

_She straightened, shooting him a defiant smile,_

_"I dunno, Daddy. As Richard puts it, I don't have a knack for vocabulary. You should probably spell it out for me."_

_He straightened as he watched the man slap her across the face, Bev wincing as she placed a hand to her cheek. Her father snarled, his face turning beet red,_

_"It stops. Do you understand?"_

_She nodded quietly and started for the door. Spotting him standing in the doorway, she gasped softly; tears glittering down her cheeks. Her gaze dropped and she pushed passed him without a word._

_Her father looked startled as he eyed him standing there, quickly offering a smile,_

_"Something on your mind, son?"_

_He glared at the man angrily, shaking his head as he turned and followed after the tearful girl,_

_"No, sir. Thank you."_

_**It took everything I had to keep myself from beating the shit out of him. I have never understood how a parent could treat their own kid that way.** _

_He found her crying on the front steps. Stepping up behind her, he softly cleared his throat,_

_"You okay?"_

_Wiping her eyes, she nodded. He sat down next to her and handed her a handkerchief. She smiled at this, taking it thoughtfully,_

_"Th-thank you..."_

_They were both silent for a few moments, and finally, he shook his head; fists clenched on his knees,_

_"I would have punched him, if I were you. Socked him right in his jaw."_

_Bev let out a laugh at this, wiping her tears away carefully,_

_"He's my father..."_

_"I don't give a shit!"_

_She gaped at him in surprise at his sudden shout, startled look on her face as he went on,_

_"He has no right to treat you that way!_ _**No** _ _one does!"_

_She smiled at that, her gaze dropping to the handkerchief in her hands,_

_"It's cute that you think that..."_

_The buzzing of cecadas in the trees echoed around them as they silenced again and he coughed; clearing his throat as a warm wind swept passed,_

_"Does_ _**Dick** _ _treat you like that, too?"_

_Bev sniffled, shrugging as she shook her head,_

_"Not all the time."_

_His jaw locked as he clenched his fists. Jumping up from his spot on the step, he turned and grabbed her hand, pulling her up,_

_"C'mon. We're leaving."_

_"Leaving," she shook her head, a smile crossing her lips,_

_"To go where?"_

_"Some place I used to go as a kid," he replied, leading her to his car._

_**I took her to the sign. I thought she might like the view from up there.** _

_"It's kinda weird, idn't it...seeing the word 'Land' strapped to it."_

_Bev laughed as they sat on the hood of his sleek, pitch black Plymouth, leaning back on her hands,_

_"What do you mean? It's always been like that."_

_"Not where I'm from."_

_The woman looked to him with a bemused smirk,_

_"Are you insinuating that you're some sort of..._ _**time traveller** _ _?"_

_His eyes lit up and he grinned up at her, laying back against the windshield,_

_"Actually...yeah. I kinda am."_

_She let out a loud cackle at this and shook her head, shooting him an incredulous stare,_

_"You're joking."_

_"No," he replied, placing his hands behind his head,_

_"Dead serious."_

_He then sat up, looking her right in the eye,_

_"In the future, that sign? They're gonna refurbish it and chop that extra word off. And it's gonna be more than just a real estate ploy...it's gonna become a national symbol."_

_"Oh really, Mr. Time Traveller? And when will that be?"_

_"Pssssh," he scoffed, shaking his head,_

_"I dunno! I wasn't born until '92. It was already like that by then..."_

_She laughed again, tucking her hair behind her ear,_

_"'92? As in_ _**19** _ _92?"_

_"Yep."_

_She licked her lips, narrowing her eyes in thought,_

_"Then, how come you're here, now?"_

_The dark-haired man sighed deeply, his smile falling as he forced a laugh,_

_"It's uh...it's a long story."_

_"We've got time..."_

_She smiled, placing her hand on his. At this, he smiled at her and shrugged,_

_"Okay."_

_**I told her everything. The 90s, the 00s...2019, and everything in between. And she listened. She sat there and she listened to me. She didn't say a word. It was the first time I'd actually talked about it out loud.** _

_"And he crash lands in this blue Police Box in the middle of the desert, a'ight? And he climbs out, and he's lookin' for Charlie Chaplin!"_

_Bev laughed at the crazed look on his face, clapping her hands together as he continued,_

_"And me and the guys are like, 'Who the fuck IS this nut job!?'"_

_As their laughter subsided, Bev wiped her eyes of tears and shook her head,_

_"Wow. What it must be like inside of your head...you should write novels."_

_"Nah," he shook his head, waving it off,_

_"I ain't got the-what was it your_ _**boy toy** _ _said?-'Knack for the vocab'?"_

_She giggled again, gazing at him fondly,_

_"But you do have a wild imagination."_

_He froze, gazing at her blankly._

_**She thought I made it up.** _

_"Y-Yeah, well," he coughed, scratching his head nervously,_

_"War time...gotta escape reality, somehow."_

_With that, she smiled again and leaned over, giving him a peck on the cheek,_

_"Thank you. The story really cheered me up."_

_They gazed at each other for a moment, before she climbed off the hood and got back in the car,_

_"Well, we should really go back, now. Before my father figures out we've run off and calls in the hounds."_

_His gaze fell as a tear hit his eye and he smiled, quickly wiping it away,_

_"Y-Yeah. Guess we should."_

_-_ ø-

_**I drove her home and we sat in the car for a few minutes.** _

_"You know...you could always leave him, Bev."_

_She turned to him, her eyes wide in surprise,_   
_"Leave him? Who, Richard?"_

_He leaned back against the seat, stretching his arm out behind her,_

_"Yeah. He's an asshole-"_

_"Michael-"_

_"And he's got really_ _**beady** _ _eyes-"_

_"Michael-!"_

_"And I mean REAL beady...like_ _**'George W. Bush'** _ _beady."_

_She sighed, bowing her head with a smile,_

_"I couldn't."_

_"Sure you could. You don't owe him anything."_

_"But my father-"_

_"Fuck him," he shouted, drawing her to attention,_

_"You're not happy! Isn't that enough to make you want to leave?"_

_She fell silent._

_At this, he cleared his throat,_

_"Run away with me."_

_"What-!?"_

_"Run away with me," he repeated, looking her square in the eye,_

_"What's stopping you?"_

_A smile struck her like lightning and she shook her head,_

_"You're shipping out at the end of the month."_

_"That's all?"_

_"Ah...I-I didn't say that was_ _**all** _ _-"_

 _"But it's the_ _**first** _ _thing that came to your mind, isn't it?"_

_She gazed at him silently, finally shaking her head again,_

_"Michael, I can't. I'm sorry."_

_Quickly, she turned and climbed out of the car; briskly heading back up the walk. He leaned over, rolling the window down,_

_"When I come back, then!"_

_She spun on her heel, her skirt twirling in a perfect circle,_

_"What?"_

_"Run away with me! When I come back," he grinned,_

_"You and me on the Getaway Mile. We hit the red line and don't look back."_

_Smiling, she bit her lip and shook her head. She turned and headed inside, and he groaned softly, pulling away from the house with a sigh._

_**I wanna be him. I wanna be the one that makes her happy...and not for just one night.** _

_**I wanna make her happy always. I wanna be Mike Milligram.** _

-ø-

"P's in love, guys," Fun Ghoul smiled, leaning back in his seat; dumbfounded.

The Doctor nodded shortly,

"Indeed...he was."

They all went silent.

Kobra Kid finally strolled over, his arms folded across his chest as he sat down next to Jet Star,

"Well, did he get her or not?"

The Doctor smirked at this, and went back to the book,

" _May 25th, 1944._ "

- _ **May 25th, 1944**_ _-_

_**We're shipping out today. I haven't seen Bev since that night. Decided to be all respectful and shit, you know. But it's been killing me...feels like my heart is gonna explode. I know what you're thinking, 'Bitch got you whipped'. Well, you're probably right.** _

_He sighed as he trudged toward the train, glancing up as he heard a familiar voice._

_There she stood, with her family, at the entrance to one of the other cars. They were giving their goodbyes to Ben. Shaking his head, he chose to board another car, as not to disturb then. It was then he heard her call him,_

_"Michael!"_

_He turned sharply as she approached, a smile on his face as he shifted awkwardly,_

_"Hey..."_

_"Hi," she began, almost timidly. She glanced back briefly at her family, then turned to him; forcing a smile,_

_"So this is it, huh? Off to the front lines?"_

_"Yeah, guess so."_

_They stood there a moment in awkward quiet; Bev finally clearing her throat,_

_"I, um...I want you to have something."_

_She pulled a small, wooden rosary from her pocket and hung it around his neck, her gaze slowly rising to meet his,_

_"It's mine..."_

_He smirked as he looked down at it, shaking his head,_

_"I-uh...I don't believe in God."_

_Bev nodded as she took in a wavering breath, patting his chest gently,_

_"Well, I don't believe in luck...so you're just gonna have to humour me, okay?"_

_He sighed as she bowed her head, his heart crumbling as he watched her nearly break down into sobs,_

_"I," she gasped, quickly wiping her eyes,_

_"I'm breaking things off...with Richard."_

_To this, he snorted, a lump starting in his throat as she turned her gaze back to him, her brown eyes shimmering with tears._

_"You don't want the_ _**D** _ _?"_

_She laughed, shaking her head as she smiled,_

_"No. No, I don't..."_

_A tear glided down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away, slapping him in the arm,_

_"Stop smiling at me like that."_

_He laughed, straightening as he heard the train whistle blow,_

_"Well, uh...looks like that's my cue."_

_Nodding, she quickly reached up and pulled him into her arms; squeezing him tightly,_

_"Just come back..."_

_He buried his face in her neck; squeezing his eyes shut as he held her._

_**Can I just say, she smells really nice? Like sugar and roses or some shit. I never wanted to let her go.** _

_With a cough, he pulled away and quickly turned, boarding the train without a second glance. Bev heaved a deep sigh as he disappeared from her sight, bowing her head sadly as the train began to move._

_"So you'll run away with me, then!?"_

_Her head shot up at the sound of his shout and she smiled, eying him leaning out of one of the windows. Jogging down the platform as the train began pulling away, she giggled, tears rolling down her cheeks,_

_"Yes!"_

_"What!?"_

_He playfully put a hand up to his ear, raising an eyebrow,_

_"I couldn't hear what you said!"_

_"Yes," she shouted, coming to a stop at the end of the platform,_

_"Anytime you want!"_

_He smirked, watching her grow smaller as the train chugged on down the tracks._

_**I am one officially romantic son of a bitch.** _

-ø-

The five of them cheered, as they reached the end of the entry, the Doctor beaming happily,

" _It was like something out of a chick flick. Nicholas Spark's eat your heart out._ "

He turned the page, then, frowning in confusion. An envelope sat between the pages and he handed it to Kobra Kid. He then continued reading,

" _June 15th, 1944._ "

_**-June 15th, 1944-** _

_**Sorry, I haven't written in a few days. Not that you'd notice, anyway...you'll just be flipping pages like it's nothing, anyhow. I'm alive, to say the least. Three out of four of my guys made it with me. Ben died, though. Got dusted in the first wave.** _

_**God, I wish I could call it dusted. With a ray gun, you know, it doesn't seem so bad. Just a little zap and boom, you're done. No blood...just burn marks and dust. There's a smell, too...but nothing like this. I've seen...oh, the shit I've seen out here. Kids being blown apart. Heads. Legs. You wouldn't believe it. Well, I can't stay long, sorry. Heading out. Gotta make it to the rendezvous point.** _

_**I put a couple things from Bev in here, something to hold you guys for awhile until my next update. It'll either make you smile...or make you puke.** _

_**Depends on if you ship us or not.** _

_**#tillnexttimehomies** _

_He closed the journal, then, shoving it into his coat as he grabbed his rifle. Nodding to the other three, he adjusted the now, mud-caked domino mask on his face,_

_"Breaks over. Let's go."_

-ø-

The Doctor nodded to Kobra Kid, eying the envelope curiously,

"What's it say in there?

Kid opened the dusty letter carefully. He raised an eyebrow as he unfolded the paper, the faintest smell of flowers wafting off of it,

" _My dearest Michael..."_

The five of them collectively 'ooed' at the opening line, Girl leaning forward eagerly,

"It's a love letter."

He pulled a second one out and handed it to Fun Ghoul, beginning to read from the first one again,

" _My dearest Michael..."_

-ø-

_**It's been a full month since you left. I hope you're doing all right. I've seen many houses greeted by men in uniforms, bearing solemn news of their loved ones passing. Including ours.** _

_She sighed as she started down the stairs, eying two formally dressed officers through the etched glass of their front door. Her mother and father were already there to answer it._

_A hand touched her heart and she braced herself; whispering softly,_

_"Michael...?_

_**My first fears went to you. I couldn't breathe thinking I would never see you again.** _

_Her mother let out a horror-stricken wail; falling into her husband's arms. Gripping the railing tight, she lowered herself to the stairs and clasped her hands over her mouth; sobbing uncontrollably._

_**It was Benny. They told us he'd been taken out at Omaha. Isn't that where you went?** _

-ø-

" _I don't know when you'll get this...but please reply as soon as you can. I can't bear the thought of living my life without you...when I've only now just begun to live it. XOXO, Beverly._ "

He swallowed hard as he folded it back up, biting his lip,

"Wow...that was heavy."

"Not as heavy as this one."

Fun Ghoul gazed at the paper, brows knitted,

" _Dearest Michael, you still haven't replied to my last letter. It's been three months since your departure. Are you all right?_ "

He turned his gaze to the Doctor, shaking his head,

"Doc...he didn't...Poison didn't _buy it_ in WWII, did he?"

The Doctor shook his head, turning to the next page in the journal,

"No...but he didn't write again for some time. Not till Christmas as a matter of fact."

He cleared his throat, reaching into his coat for a pair of glasses,

" _December 25th, 1944._ "

- _ **December 25th, 1944**_ _-_

_**I hate this. I'm so fucking tired of watching kids get blown to bits around me. I thought the Fires were bad...I was wrong. I wanna go home. Doc, please. Tell me there's a way I can come home.** _

_**I don't wanna be here anymore.** _

-ø-

The Doctor closed his eyes as the others turned to him expectantly; letting out a deep sigh,

"I can't, you know I can't," he began, shaking his head,

"Everything written in here is set in stone. My hands are tied."

They had a moment of silence, Girl clearing her throat,

"Then... can we skip to the happy parts? I don't...I don't like to hear him so sad."

He glanced at the others. They all nodded. Turning back to Girl, he offered a sorrowful smile,

"Now, _that_... _that_ is something I can do."

He thumbed through the pages, making his way to the next year,

"Ahh, here we go. _June 18th, 1945_ _ **.**_ "

- _ **June 18th, 1945**_ -

_**I got back to California, today. You shoulda heard the cheering as the train pulled in. A lot of us were coming back, though not as many as those who left. I could see families waiting at the platform with signs and bears.** _

_**But I didn't see Bev.** _

_He hobbled off the train with grin, shaking hands with one of the other men from his car,_

_"Good luck to you, Milligram."_

_He grinned, steadying himself on the cane he was holding,_

_"You too, man."_

_**I got my leg blown off. It's hard getting used to the fakey they got me wearing.** _

-ø-

Kobra Kid's eyes widened in horror as the words spilled out of the Doctor's mouth, quickly snatching the journal away to look for himself. He found the sentence and continued,

" _Kidding, kidding! Just wanted to see how fast Kobra would snatch the journal from-_ that fucking _asshole_!"

He tossed it back to the Doctor, shaking his head disapprovingly as the others quietly began to snicker.

" _Is he making the face? I can almost see it now. I bet he called me an 'asshole'."_

-ø-

_**I know it's in bad taste, but I gotta get my chuckles somehow, right? Especially after all the shit I saw.** _

_He winced as he started forward, leaning heavily on the cane for support._

_**My leg's still intact, relax. I did get shot in the hip, though. No joke. It hurt like a sonuvabitch.** _

_Making his way to the middle of the station, he glanced around, his heart racing. He watched as families reunited with their loved ones; cries of joy and laughter filling the air._

_But there was still no sign of her._

_**I guess she was pissed. I didn't write to her as much as I could have. I probably should have put a little more thought into that...but I was kinda busy, you know...not dying.** _

_With a resigned nod, he silently started toward the front; eyes locked on the floor._

_'"Michael!"'_

_He raised his head, eyes wide as he spotted her near the entrance._

_**She was wearing all white...looked like a fucking angel. Especially 'cause the sun coming in through the windows gave her that halo thing. Made me think of that one Beyoncé song.** _

_**...I got so sick of that fucking song.** _

_She smiled as their eyes met and started to run to him; tears streaming down her rosy cheeks. He dropped the cane as he dashed to greet her, unconcerned with the state of his hip as he quickly crossed the distance between them._

_**I never ran so fast in my life.** _

_They met in the middle and she flung her arms around him, holding on to him for dear life as she burst into tears. He squeezed her tight; surprised to find himself crying as he rocked her. Pulling back, she reached up and cradled his face; roughly pressing her lips against his._

_**You guys should have seen it. It was fucking AWESOME. We macked out for a good 20 minutes in that train station. Gee, I'm getting all flustered just thinking about it.** _

_**Bet you didn't realise you were reading the diary of a 12-year-old girl, now did you?** _

-ø-

Girl smiled as the Doctor continued, propping her chin on her hands,

" _We're getting married as soon as possible. _If you think I spent the last year in hell just to come back to a life of emptiness when Heaven is standing right in front of me, then you're dead wrong._ She is the best thing that has ever happened to me._ "

He turned to the next page, his eyebrows raising in surprise,

"Oh, and here it is. No cliffhangers, just marriage!"

The others smiled, leaning in a bit closer as the Doctor began,

" _August 14th, 1945..._ "

- _ **August 14th, 1945**_ _-_

_**We got hitched in her dad's church. He was pretty pissed about the whole thing and refused to do the ceremony for us. Luckily, her older brother, Jake, had just been ordained, and he stepped in without a second thought.** _

_"Do you, Beverly Ann Spence, take Michael P. Milligram..."_

_He gazed at her silently, the preacher's words fading from his ears as he took the sight of her in._

_**She looked fucking beautiful in that dress. Guys, if you coulda seen her...** _

_"I do."_

_She smiled up at him warmly, as he slipped the solid, gold band onto her finger. Jacob turned to him then, and began reading from the book,_

_"Michael P. Milligram. Do you-"_

_Reaching up, he patted the minister on the shoulder, his eyes still locked on her,_

_"Relax. I got this, bro..."_   
_Bev frowned, glancing at the crowd briefly as he began,_

_"Bev. I, uh...I know this ain't how we rehearsed it, but I...I wanted to say my own thing. You know, make it a bit more personal."_

_He took both of her hands in his, and snorted, his face turning bright red,_

_"Erm...okay. From the moment I met you, I knew...I knew you were the one," he coughed softly,_

_"Don't ask how, though. It's kinda creepy. Just know that I was aware..."_

_She giggled as his eyes nervously wandered the room, soon finding their way back to her,_

_"You're smart. So fucking smart. And you're funny...and...and do you got a booty? Damn, right you do."_

_The crowd began to murmur anxiously at that, and he turned, an annoyed look on his face,_

_"Would y'all shut the fuck up? I'm tryin' to get deep here."_

_A few of them gasped, but the majority quieted down._

_Taking a deep breath, he turned_ _back to her with a frown,_

_"Now, where was I? Oh, yeah. You are the most...amazing person that I have ever had the privilege to know. And before I met you...let's just say my life was pretty shitty."_

_He then coughed, a tear hitting his cheek as he squeezed her hand tightly,_

_"I have been waiting for you...my_ _**entire** _ _life. And I don't mean a girl 'like' you, I mean_ _**you** _ _, Bev. Just you. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, Beverly Ann Spence."_

_She giggled as he turned to her brother, nodding vigorously,_

_"So yeah, you bet your ass_ _**'I do'.** N_ _ow, slip that little sucker on already and let's get hitched."_

_Nodding shortly, she slid the ring onto his finger and Jacob smiled,_

_"Well, then by the powers vested in me, by the state of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."_

_He shot her a wink and grinned, pulling her close,_

_"You ain't gotta tell me twice."_

_**It was the happiest fucking day of my life. I only wish you guys had been there with me.** _

_The crowd cheered as they turned and started down the aisle; more guests greeting them as they started down the walk. Rice and streamers flew into the air; the couple turning for another kiss as they reached the bottom of the stairs. They turned away from the crowd so that she could throw the bouquet and he stopped; his eyes widening as he eyed something standing across the road from them._

_**But then I saw it.** _

_Through the shower of confetti, he spotted the solitary stone angel across the road, pointing at him; a vacant expression on it's face. He swallowed hard, his heart stopping at the sight of it._

_**They're here, Doc.** _

-ø-

The Doctor swallowed hard as he finished the entry, slowly taking off his spectacles,

" _The angels are here. And they're ready for round two._ "


	13. Chapter 13

**A Troubled Man**

**-** _**September 30th, 1945** _ _-_

_**We got a place in L.A...far away from her parents. It's a sweet ass, two story from the 1890's.** _

_**White picket fence, flag in the yard. All that good shit.** _

_They stepped through the doorway, side by side, arms linked._

_"Holy shit," they breathed in unison._

_They looked at each other then and giggled; Beverly letting out a squeal in surprise as he picked her up and spun her in his arms._

_**It's a lot nicer than the shabby trailer my parents first called home. Cost about the same, too.** _

_She frowned as she painted over her section of wall, turning to him with a frown,_

_"Do you think this would go better in the kitchen?"_

_"Pffffffft," he shrugged, slapping his paint roller to it,_

_"Like I would fuckin' know."_

_She turned back to it and folded her arms; her ponytail wagging as she shook her head,_

_"I think it would..."_

_Raising an eyebrow, he turned and ran the roller up and down her arm; a devious smirk crossing his lips as she screamed,_

_"Oh! Oh no, look at that!"_

_She gaped at him in shock, punching him in the arm as he did it again, this time down the front of her blouse,_

_"Aww, I can't believe that just happened!"_

_"Michael! What the hell is wrong with you!?"_

_She smacked him again as he got her in the leg; her khaki capri's now coated in yellow paint. He snickered as she pouted up at him, a quiet fury brewing in her eyes,_

_"Oh, Mrs. Milligram! You should really be more careful with that paint! You're gettin' it all over the place-!"_

_"Michael, stop," she screamed as he got her again, this time on the cheek,_

_"Stop-!"_

_Reaching up with the brush, she shoved it in his face; leaving a long streak across his nose and mouth. His eyes widened at that and a laugh escaped him,_

_"Oh, ho, ho! Oh, now, it's on, baby...!"_

_A full out war broke out between them as they flung paint at each other, Beverly letting out a cackle as he grabbed her and shoved her back against the wet wall,_

_"No, no!"_

_She squealed as he planted a kiss on her lips and wrapped her arms up around his neck._

_**Being with her is like being in a dream. I feel like a little fucking kid, again.** _

_His eyes widened as she brought the brush up and began painting his face and hair. He broke the kiss and went after her with the roller again; wild grin on his face as she began to run from him. Grabbing the paint can, he chased her up the stairs to the bedroom, where she let out a loud shriek,_

_"DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE!"_

_**I don't ever wanna wake up.** _

-ø-

_He dried his hair with a towel as he strutted out of the bathroom, soaking wet and still grinning,_

_"Sure you don't need any help in there?"_

_"You stay out there! You've done enough, already!"_

_He snickered at that, shaking his head as he strolled to the window. His heart stopped._

_An angel stood at the street corner; gazing up at the house._

_**I've been seeing them everywhere, Doc. It's like they're toying with me.** _

_She came up behind him; smiling as she wrapped her arms around him,_

_"What are you looking at?"_

_He grabbed her hands, squeezing them tightly,_

_"Nothing."_

_A car zoomed passed the angel, blocking it momentarily from his view. It disappeared._

_**I can't tell her about it. I tried that before...she thought it was a story. If I told her the statue of an angel had been following me around since the wedding, she'd think I'd snapped for sure.** _

_Sighing, he turned slowly and ran his hands through her hair; the woman beginning to blush,_

_"You plan on putting any clothes on?"_

_He scowled, gazing deeply into her eyes,_

_"Now, what fun would THAT be?"_

_Leaning down, he gave her a soft kiss and she grinned; locking her arms around his neck as he carried her to the bed..._

-ø-

_That night, they both awoke to screams from outside, and the sound of rapid pounding on their front door drew them to their feet. He quickly grabbed his gun and started down the stairs first, Beverly close behind him._

_"Help! Someone help, please!"_

_He cautiously opened the door, his wife pushing passed him as she spotted the tearful woman standing there,_

_"Lucy!"_

_**It was our neighbour from down the street. She was a mess, covered in blood and shakin' like a leaf.** _

_"Help me, please! It's George! He's...! Oh, God, he's...!"_

_Beverly turned to him, her eyes wide in terror,_

_"Michael-"_

_"I'm on it," he breathed, rushing down the road to the corner lot. The door was wide open._

_He entered cautiously, his eyes widening as he followed the blood trail into the bathroom._

_**Her husband George had come back on the same day I had. Ever since, he'd been struggling to readjust. He was a mess, constantly drunk and barely able to keep his head above water. He'd started seeing things...having flashbacks. And that night, I guess he'd just had enough.** _

_Beverly gasped as she stepped up behind him and surveyed the gruesome scene for herself; burying her face in her hands. He put his arm around her quickly and led her back out of the room; a dark look on his face._

_**He'd shot himself with a combat rifle.** _

-ø-

_**They held the funeral last Saturday. It was a closed casket...thank, God for small mercies, I guess.** _

_They stood in the cemetery, the rain beating steadily against their black umbrellas._

_He watched silently as Beverly stooped down and comfortingly cradled her distraught friend._

_Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something move and glanced up to see an angel statue standing across the way. He kept his eyes on it as he listened to the rain thumping against the strip of canvas over his head. Beverly looked at him, a frown flashing across her face as she turned to see what he'd been staring at._

_It appeared to be a tombstone in the shape of a weeping angel. She swallowed hard._

_He was glaring daggers into it._

_**She's seen the way I've been spacing out. I know what she's probably thinking.** _

_**She must think I'm ready to snap.** _

_**Sometimes, it feels like I might.** _

-ø-

The Doctor swallowed hard as he finished reading the entry, Kobra Kid slamming his fist on the table,

"You gotta do something, Doc. You can't just let it happen again!"

"I'm sorry," he said softly, shaking his head,

"I can't. Michael brought this on himself..."

"But...he's _happy_ ," Jet Star shook his head,

"Doc, c'mon...! He didn't know-"

The Doctor quickly shook his head,

"It doesn't matter. Time. Is. Fixed. There is _nothing_ I can do! Even if I _wanted_ to...whatever happens in this book has to happen."

He then turned to the next entry and wiped his nose,

" _October 30th, 1945..._ "

_**-October 30th, 1945-** _

_**I never told you before...but on that day that Girl and I got caught out in the desert...I saw something I couldn't explain. At the time, I just thought I was dyin', you know...all that toxic trash in my lungs. But I think I know what it was, now.** _

_He straightened as he went to set the table for dinner, eyes widening as he turned around to see the statue of an angel at the kitchen door._

_**It got in. I don't know how.** _

_The dishes fell out of his hands and shattered against the hardwood floor. He kept his eyes on it, unsure of what else to do._

_**Outta nowhere, it hit me. The room got hot. Felt like the air was being sucked out.** _

_He coughed, his eyes widening as all of his strength suddenly seemed to escape him. He fell to the floor, heart racing as he gagged for air. The angel was smiling at him, inching closer all the while._

_**As I laid there on the floor, I found myself in a familiar place. The world around me was gone...I was lying in the desert. The Trans Am was next to me. I could hear Girl screamin'. I was there again. It was like I was there. And the angel was right over top of me.** _

_Beverly let out a scream as she entered the kitchen, rushing to his side frantically,_

_"Michael! Michael, sweetheart! Can you hear me!?"_

_He gazed up blankly at the ceiling; unresponsive._

_Tears hit her eyes and she gently brushed a hand over his hair,_

_"Michael! Michael!"_

_Quickly, she stood and shook her head, rushing back out of the kitchen to the phone in the hall._

_**It was Bev. I had seen her that night in the desert. It makes sense...but then it also doesn't. How could I see her that night? And how could I see the desert tonight?** _

-ø-

Fun Ghoul straightened, shaking his head,

"What does he mean, Doc?"

The Doctor shook his head, pulling at his face in thought,

"He must have been in a weak spot."

"A weak spot?"

"Yes. You see, sometimes, time tends to act up, create a window of sorts," the Doctor waved, trying his best to explain in a way they could understand,

"The barrier that keeps you boxed in, keeps you from crossing out of your time and into another sometimes gets weakened. Sometimes, the time streams get a little too close and sometimes, but not often, you begin to see windows into the past...sometimes _your own_ past...or, in Michael's case, his future..."

"So," Jet Star frowned, scratching his head curiously,

"Kinda like seeing a ghost."

"Yes, exactly," the Doctor nodded, continuing in vigor,

"Except, they aren't ghosts, just people. What you're seeing is really there. Time is happening all around us, every second. And I don't just mean _this_ time. I mean the 40s, the 50s, _everything_ , all at once. For us, the things in this journal have already happened, nothing can change it, it's already been...but right now, somewhere out there in time and space, Michael is living out the things that are happening in here, at this very moment. The only reason he would have seen her is because the barrier between the streams was weakest in that spot, acting like a window."

He turned back to the entry,

" _I was scared._ "

-ø-

_He gasped as the desert suddenly dissipated and quickly sat up; his strength returning. He coughed violently, finally able to breathe again, and glanced around. The angel was gone as if it had never been there at all._

_He found himself shaking uncontrollably. His heart stopped._

_**I didn't see her anywhere. I thought maybe the angel might've switched targets.** _

_"B-Bev," he shouted, pulling himself up quickly. He nearly fell as he made it to his feet, still a tad short of breath,_

_"Bev!?"_

_She quickly rushed back into the room, her eyes wide as she ran over to him,_

_"Michael!"_

_Throwing her arms around him, she began to sob,_

_"Oh my God! Michael! Are you all right!?"_

_She pulled back and began inspecting him, running her hands up through his hair as she pulled him close and pressed her forehead to his,_

_"When I saw you on the ground, I didn't know what to do! I didn't know if you were okay! I was so scared! I thought you were...I thought I'd-!"_

_He pulled her into his arms, squeezing her tight as she began to shake._

_**I couldn't tell her that my thoughts were pretty much the same. That I thought that angel in our kitchen had touched her and sent her back to oh, I dunno...King Arthur's court? I just held her.** _

_**It was all I could think to do. I held her and I sure as hell wasn't gonna let go.** _

_"I," she began, stammering as she pulled away and took his arm,_

_"I called an ambulance. Here, I want you to sit down. They'll be here soon. I want them to check you out-"_

_"Bev, I'm fine," he coughed, wiping his eyes with a smile,_

_"I just...I lost my balance and hit my head. That's all..."_

_"Then, they need to be sure you don't have a concussion," she said, gently pushing him down onto the couch. Pulling him close, she briefly inspected his head herself,_

_"Now, I don't see a lump, but I want them to double check."_

_"Bev-"_

_"No, buts, Michael!"_

_She stood as she heard a knock at the door, wiping her eyes of tears as she started to it,_

_"Now, stay put and let them take care of you."_

_He watched her walk away, his eyes lowering to the coffee table._

_**I'm scared, Doc. I dunno how much longer I can keep this up.** _

_-_ _**November 23rd, 1945** _ _-_

_**The sightings are getting more frequent, now.** _

_They sat in the middle of the park, resting on a red, plaid tablecloth. A picnic for two was set up around them. He could see it across the way and narrowed his eyes at it. It stood frozen, peeking around the tree as they ate. Beverly frowned as she caught his glowering stare and straightened,_

_"Michael? Michael, what is it, what's wrong?"_

_He shook his head, taking another bite of his sandwich as he kept his eyes on it,_

_"Nothing."_

_**She's really starting to worry about me.** _

_The phone rang and Beverly sighed as she picked it up, waving off her sudden bout of nausea,_

_"Hello? Oh, Lucy! How are you? Are you doing all right?"_

_She frowned,_

_"Okay, okay...just calm down. I'll be right over."_

_Hanging up the phone, she grabbed her coat and called upstairs,_

_"Michael! I'm heading down the street to Lucy's place. I'll be back in a bit!"_

_"Okay, babe!"_

_He walked to the window, watching her head down the road. She passed a stone angel on her way toward Lucy's and he straightened, his heart stopping. It was looking right at her._

_"Bev..."_

_Quickly, he charged downstairs and out the door after her, grabbing his gun as he went. He had no idea what he would do with it; ray guns alone weren't effective on them, never mind lead bullets. Seeing the statue, he let out a snarl and strode right up to it,_

_"A'ight, I've had it, mother fucker. You may be straight up stone, right now, but lemme tell you something. This shit stays between you and me, you got that? I will die before I let you lay a fuckin' hand on her..."_

_It continued to stare after her and he snapped it's fingers in front of its face,_

_"Hey, hey! You look at me, when I'm talkin' to you, hot shot."_

_He glanced away from it briefly and down the road toward her. She was on the porch with Lucy, just chatting. When he turned back, it was staring straight at him. He smirked,_

_"Yeah, that's what I thought, you little shit. Don't make me get out the TNT-"_

_"Michael?"_

_He straightened, his eyes wide as he turned to see that the two women were now watching him._

_Coughing, he turned back to the statue. It hadn't moved. He smiled sheepishly at this and waved to the two of them, pointing at it with a laugh,_

_"Just...uh...giving him a pep talk."_

_**She must really think I've lost it.** _

- _ **December 18th, 1945**_ _-_

_**Sorry, I haven't written in awhile. Things have been pretty hectic around here.** _

_**I got a job. Just car repair, nothing special. The kind of job you'd be good at, Ghoul.** _

_He walked through the door, covered in grease and dirt. Taking off his jacket, he trudged upstairs to take a quick shower._

_**Bev's a teacher. Kindergarten. The little fuckers are so adorable with her. She keeps bringing home the shit they make for her. It's so cute. We've gotten so many apples we've run out of places to put 'em.** _

_After he'd cleaned himself up a bit, he tossed on a pair of black trousers and a plain, white shirt; putting a colorfully floral over shirt on top of it._

_**I wear Hawaiian shirts, now. They took the colour out of my hair so I got have it somewhere.** _

_He paused as he started out of the bedroom, eying his pistol on the nightstand. With a deep breath, he leaned down and scooped it up; setting it in his waistband. He then left the room, shutting the door behind him._

_**We're going out tonight. Well, not really out, it's just the school carnival. Fun houses and apple bobbing. Woo hoo! She's actually there, now, helping them set up.** _

-ø-

_They strolled around the carnival, hands locked as they watched groups of tiny tots run past them giggling. He glanced down at her, nodding to a cluster of them by the merry-go-round,_

_"You think we should try for one of those?"_

_She laughed, shaking her head with a smile,_

_"A merry-go-round?"_

_"No," he snorted, nudging her gently,_

_"A kid. You know like in those sappy, family songs...'pitter patter of little feet', shit like that."_

_Her eyes lit up as she turned to him, a look of relief on her face,_

_"Well, that's...that's actually something I've been needing to talk to you about."_

_He stopped, his eyes wide as she took both of his hands and pulled them up to her heart,_

_"Michael..."_

_His mouth dropped as she paused; a smile striking his face,_

_"You **are**?"_

_With a giggle, she nodded and he let out a laugh, embracing her tightly,_

_"Holy fuck, are you serious!? I'm gonna be a dad-!?"_

_She punched him in the arm; her eyes wide as she let out a soft hiss,_

_"Watch your mouth! There are children here!"_

_"Aww, a little cussin' never hurt anybody. 'Sides, I know a six-year-old that could give me a run for my money..."_

_A group of kids ran up to her then, gathering around her to show them her prizes,_

_"Mrs. Beverly! Mrs. Beverly!"_

_Turning to them, she knelt down and smiled brightly,_

_"Oh wow, let me see what you got!"_

_**I can't believe it guys. It's actually happening. I'm gonna be a father. Me. Of all fuckin' people.** _

_He straightened as he heard a strange sound behind them and turned, eyes wide as he spotted a Weeping Angel sitting beside one of the game booths. A few moments passed and the kids finally ran off, Beverly rising to her feet,_

_"Now, where were we...?"_

_She noted how rigid he'd become and gently placed a hand on his shoulder, frowning,_

_"Michael? Michael, what is it?"_

_He jumped at her touch and coughed, shaking his head,_

_"Huh? What?"_

_"You're staring," she shook her head,_

_"What are you staring at?"_

_Eyes wide, he turned back to look at the booth where the angel had just been. It was gone._

_Quickly, he took her by the hand and began pulling her down the midway, Beverly raising an eyebrow in concern,_

_"Michael?"_

_It stayed in the shadows, nearly unseen as it chased them through the carnival. He knew it was there, however, and occasionally, he spotted it standing out in the open; a grin on it's stony features._

_**They're fucking with me. They're vultures and I'm the prey. And no matter how fast I run...they always catch up.** _

_He ushered her into the fun house and shut the door behind them, Beverly shaking her head,_

_"Michael, what's going on? Are you all right?"_

_"Just shut up a second and let me think!"_

_She straightened, her eyes wide at his sudden change of mood. As he pulled his pistol from his waistband, she gasped and slapped her hand to her heart,_

_"Gracious! Why do you have that!?"_

_He jumped as there was a sudden loud knocking on the wall and she could see the terrified look in his eyes,_

_"Michael..."_

_He brought the gun up, aiming it at the knocking sound. Quickly, she ran over to him and placed a hand on his arm,_

_"Hey! Hey, put that down! What are you doing!?"_

_He glanced over at one of the nearby mirrors, heart stopping as he spotted an angel standing a few feet away from them. Quickly, he spun and fired; the image disappearing as the mirror shattered._

_Beverly screamed and clapped a hand over her mouth. He repeated this as he spotted another one, and she jumped, her eyes filling with tears,_

_"Michael...?"_

_**I was scaring her, I know. But it wasn't just about protecting myself, anymore. I had her to think about...her AND the baby...** _

_He spun around, seeing that it stood a few feet behind her, concealed behind two mirrors. There was just enough space between the panels for him to see it's eyes. He raised the gun; her heart stopping._

_"Bev...turn around and come stand by me."_

_Nodding slowly, she did as he said, eyebrows knitted as she turned around. There was nothing there,_

_"Michael...sweetheart? What are you staring at?"_

_"The angel."_

_She shook her head, still unable to see it,_

_"There's nothing there, Michael...there's no one in here but us."_

_He could see laughter in it's frozen stare._

_"Yes, there is. I see it right, now. Come look at it from where I'm standing."_

_"Michael-"_

_"There is a mirror in the way, but I swear Bev, it's there. It's staring right at me."_

_Tears hit her eyes as she placed her hand onto his; her body beginning to shake with fright,_

_"Sweetie...you're scaring me. Please, just put the gun down and let's go home, now, okay? Let's go home."_

_He shook his head, snarling as he glared it down,_

_"No...I can't. We go home, it'll just follow us there. I gotta end this, now."_

_A sob escaped her and she looked to the mirrors again; still unable to see it peeking out from between them,_

_"Tell me...where are you?"_

_"What?"_  
_"Where are you right, now," she continued, hiccuping softly as she squeezed his hands,_

_"Are you here? In the fun house? With me?"_

_"What!? Of course I'm fucking here! Where the hell else would I be!?"_

_The woman gasped, shaking her head as she looked to the floor,_

_"When I...I spoke to Lucy the other day...she said that George started to...started to see things before the end. Started thinking...he was back on the battlefield-"_

_He then paused, swallowing hard,_

_"I'm not in fucking Germany, Bev. I know where I am! I'm standing in a house a'mirrors, staring down a fucking angel with a stupid grin on its face! I'm trying to protect you!"_

_She remained silent, her eyes red and puffy from crying,_

_"Michael, calm down..."_

_"No, don't fucking tell me to calm down!"_

_He tensed, tightening his grip on the gun,_

_"I am not crazy, Bev. I'm not fucking crazy-"_

_"I know that," she pleaded, tugging at his arm ever so gently,_

_"I know that...but I think...I think you might be confused. Michael, we're safe here. We're safe! There's nothing over there, there's nothing out to get us-"_

_"Yes, there is."_

_He shook his head; a tear hitting his cheek as he ground his teeth together,_

_"You remember...that night I took you to the sign? Before I shipped out?"_

_She nodded shortly, her voice a mere breath,_

_"Yes. Yes, I do..."_

_**I had to tell her. I couldn't keep it in anymore.** _

_"It's real."_

_Beverly stared at him blankly, a tear escaping her,_

_"What's real?"_

_"All of it," he choked, keeping his yes locked on the angel,_

_"The angels...2019...the mad man with the box! Everything I said is true-"_

_"Michael-"_

_"No, don't 'Michael' me!"_

_She watched him in silence, unsure of what to do as he continued,_

_"I was born...in 1992! My favourite actor hasn't even been born, yet, and I..."_

_He paused,_

_"I gave up EVERYTHING...everyone I cared about, all of it...! I let them take me just so the people that I loved would be safe! But I can't...I won't do that, again! Not when it means I'd have to lose_ _**you** _ _...!"_

_His gaze broke for a second and he froze, glancing back up to where it had been. It was gone._

_With a curse, he grabbed two tufts of hair and screamed, taking a few steps away from her._

_He paced back and forth, frantically searching for where it had gone,_

_"It got away. Oh, fuck, it got away!"_

_"Michael," she whispered softly, slowly approaching him,_

_"Michael, sweetie...please, just calm down...and put the gun away..."_

_"I can't...I can't," he whimpered, keeping his eyes peeled for movement,_

_"What if it comes back!? Bev, what if it hurts you!?"_

_Cautiously, she stepped up to him and put her hands on the gun, smiling up at him sadly,_

_"Sweetheart...? It's okay...! Nothing is gonna hurt me, all right? Just put the gun away..."_

_It took him a moment, but finally, he lowered the weapon and broke into sobs; squeezing her tight._

_Tears fell from her eyes as she rocked him; her heart breaking as she listened to him,_

_"I don't want to lose you...! Bev, I_ _**can't** _ _lose you...!"_

_"You won't lose me," she gasped, closing her eyes lightly,_

_"You'll never lose me..."_

_**But I already had lost her.** _

_She sobbed as the officers led him to a nearby police car; clasping her hands over her mouth as they shoved him into the back. Rushing to the window, she pressed her hand to the glass as he looked to her pitifully. He eyed it standing in the distance beside the fun house._

_It was smiling._

-ø-

" _They are submitting me to Stockton for evaluation. This will probably be my last entry for a while, so...take care._ "

The group sat in silence for a few moments, Girl shaking her head,

"She...she didn't let them take him away, did she? She stopped them?"

The Doctor sighed deeply as he turned the page, continuing softly,

" _February 1st, 1946..._ "

- _ **February 1st, 1946**_ -

_**Happy Fuckin' New Year.** _

_He sat alone at the long, steel table, watching the other patients babble and moan as they paced around the dining hall._

_**It's been almost two months since I've been here. Not heard a peep from Bev.** _

_He drummed at the table as doctor after doctor came to talk to him; saying nothing in response._

_After a few moments, they would give up and go on to the next patient._

_**The docs are treating me like a child. Like I don't know what's going on in my own head.** _

_"Michael?"_

_Raising his head slowly, he let out a deep sigh and forced a smile,_

_"Well, well. If it isn't my lovely wife..."_

_"I'm sorry," Beverly shook her head, sitting down across from him,_

_"They wouldn't let me come and see you...not until you were settled."_

_He stared at her blankly for a moment; shaking his head as he took a breath,_

_"You know, I thought it was 'till death do us part' not 'till your husband cracks and you throw him in the nuthouse'..."_

_She leaned forward, reaching for his hands,_

_"Michael-"_

_Bringing his arms in, he leaned back; turning his gaze away from her,_

_"No."_

_Biting her lip, she shook her head, her eyes welling with tears,_

_"Michael...please."_

_He refused to look at her as she continued,_

_"I'm sorry! But what did you think was gonna happen!? You brought a loaded weapon to an elementary school carnival! It was either this or..."_

_She trailed off. He cocked his head to the side, a hurt look on his face,_

_"...or what? Jail? And I couldn't go there, no...no, you wouldn't have that-"_

_"Michael-"_

_"A husband in the slammer. What an image that would make, right?"_

_"Michael-"_

_"'Cause you know what they do to guys like me in prison."_

_"Michael-!"_

_"I get it. If I look like I snapped, you get the pity! Oh, the poor dear! Had to go and marry that nut job Milligram! Now she's knocked up and he's locked up and oh, let's hope the crazy don't infect the baby-"_

_"YOU WERE SCREAMING AT A STATUE!"_

_She shrieked, slamming her hands down on the table. Tears flowed from her eyes as she stood, clamping a hand over her mouth,_

_"What was I supposed to do!? You told me...you were a time traveler-"_

_"DING DING DING DING," he shouted back, his eyes widening as stringy strands of black hair fell in front of his eyes,_

_"THAT'S CAUSE I AM, SWEET PEA."_

_She shook her head, rubbing her temples as she began to sob,_

_"Do you even hear yourself...? Michael...you're not well."_

_Rolling his eyes, he bit his lip and sat back in the chair,_

_"I think you should go."_

_Beverly bit her lip, dissolving into tears as she sat back down,_

_"Michael-"_

_"Go."_

_Nodding shortly, she stood, setting something down on the table. It was his journal.  
_

_"The doctor wanted me to bring this. She thought it might make you a bit more comfortable to have it."_

_Sniffling, she wiped her eyes as one of the nurses came over to escort her out,_

_"I love you, Michael."_

_He remained silent as the nurse led her away; letting out a choked scream as she disappeared back out into the hall. Standing, he grabbed the journal and threw it across the room in an angry rage._

_**I know deep down...she thinks she's doing the right thing. She thinks I need the help...and she's worried that she'll lose me. But I just can't fucking stand the idea that she doesn't believe me.** _

_**My own wife.** _

_"You gave him the journal?"_

_Beverly nodded as she met the woman in the hall; wiping her eyes with her handkerchief,_

_"Yes..."_

_"Good," the doctor continued, leading her down the hall,_

_"We'll use it to observe his progress."_

_As they reached the end, she turned to the doctor; sighing deeply,_

_"How bad is he? Tell me honestly...will he ever come home?"_

_The woman shook her head, her dark ponytail waving back and forth behind her head,_

_"I'm not going lie to you, ma'am...he's in pretty bad shape. Between the delusions of time travel and this 'Doctor' character he's created, we don't even know where to begin. We'll be starting him first on the insulin and see where he goes from there. It's really hard to say."_

_**They're starting me on insulin tomorrow. A little freaked, I gotta say.** _

-ø-

The Doctor cursed softly as he read this, shaking his head with a snarl,

"Barbarians..."

"Doc, what's he mean insulin," Fun Ghoul frowned curiously,

"Isn't that something for diabetes?"

"Yes, insulin is, yeah...but not _this_ treatment. This..."

He shook his head, rubbing his eyes tiredly,

"This is just _cruel_."

"Yeah, Doc, that tells us _a lot_."

"It-it's a treatment," the Doctor stammered, hands shaking as he ran them down his face,

"Called Insulin Shock Therapy. It was used typically for schizophrenia. They ceased the practice ages ago, it was inhumane and didn't work, but no one thought about that, then. In the 1940s, it was the go-to treatment."

"What did they do," Girl asked timidly.

"They would inject the patient with insulin," the Doctor sighed, shaking his head as he rubbed his eyes again, "Enough do induce a comatose state."

"What," Kobra Kid shrieked, his eyes widening with shock,

"What the fuck is that supposed to do!?"

"Ideally, it would cure them," he began, glancing between the four of them,

"But..."

He shook his head, wiping his brow nervously as he turned to the next entry.

- _ **February 15th, 1946**_ _-_

_**I'm sick, Doc. And I don't mean in the head.** _

_He looked in the mirror, shaking violently as he supported himself on the sink. His skin was pale and clammy. Dark circles hung under his eyes. His stomach growled. It felt like he was starving._

_Shaking his head, he turned and slowly trudged toward the door._

_**It feels like I'm dying. Every time they put me out...I come back and I feel worse.** _

_He sat in the middle of the floor; cradling his head in his hands._

_"You."_

_Raising an eyebrow, he turned and glanced over at a young woman crouching nearby. She waved him over, a crazed look in her eyes,_

_"C'mere."_

_Frowning, he shook his head and turned to gaze down at the journal in his lap._

_"You know him, yeah?"_

_He jumped as he heard her voice suddenly in his ear and turned around, raising an eyebrow,_

_"Who?"_

_She smiled,_

_"Exactly."_

_At this, he paused, swallowing hard as he started feeling faint,_

_"You look...familiar. Do I know you?"_

_"Do you?"_

_At this point, a nurse quickly came over and grabbed her, leading her away,_

_"Come on, you. Back to your room."_

_Another nurse came over to him, offering him a hand,_

_"All right, you. Time for dinner."_

_**They try to make me eat and, even tough I get pretty hungry nowadays, I don't want their food. I ain't gonna give those fuckers the satisfaction.** _

_He shook his head weakly. The nurse folded her arms,_

_"You're gonna kill yourself if you don't eat."_

_"Good, less work for you, then."_

_Rolling their eyes, the nurse turned and marched away,_

_"I'll be back when you feel like cooperating."_

_"Then you's gonna be waitin' a looooooooooooong time..."_

_He sat in silence for a few moments, the world beginning to spin. His blood sugar was dropping dangerously low. It probably would have been a good idea to eat something._

_"Michael...?"_

_Upon hearing her voice, he raised his gaze; eyes lighting up as he spotted her entering the room,_

_"Bev...?"_

_Beverly gasped, quickly hurrying over to him,_

_"Michael! Oh my God!"_

_Kneeling down, she took his face in her hands; noting his pale complexion,_

_"Are you all right? What are they doing to you!?"_  
_"It's a side effect of the therapy," the nurse nearby interjected,_

_"Don't worry, he's fine."_

_She turned, glancing over the nurse suspiciously,_

_"I'll be the judge of that, thank you."_

_Turning her attention back to him, she cradled his head; stroking his hair,_

_"How are you? Are you all right?"_

_He shook his head, forcing a smile as he weakly replied,_

_"Peachy..."_

_The nurse cleared her throat,_

_"Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to back away from the patient, now."_

_"And I'm gonna have to ask you to get the fuck away from me and my husband," she snipped, glowering at the woman in disgust,_

_"If you don't mind. I'd like to speak with him in private."_

_Nodding shortly, the nurse turned and walked over to the opposite wall, keeping within range._

_She turned back to him, pulling him into her arms,_

_"Now, be honest. How are they treating you? Are you okay?"_

_He smiled at that, barely able to hold his own head up,_

_"Yeah, yeah...I'm great. We braid each others hair and talk about boys. It's swell."_

_She felt him put his arms around her, his grip weak as he began shaking,_

_"Michael?"_

_"I wanna go home..."_

_He whispered, burying his face in her arm,_

_"Just let me come home. Please...!"_

_She squeezed him tightly as he began to sob, rocking him gently._

_**I can't take much more of this.** _

_**-February 20th, 1946-** _

_**They read it. They read my journal. Everything. All of it.** _

_"N-NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS!!"_

_He screamed and cursed, his eyes wide as they dragged him down a long hallway toward a room in the back of the hospital._

_"MICHAEL!"_

_He could hear Beverly shrieking from a few feet away, their eyes meeting as he was pulled passed. A team of nurses was doing their best to keep her back,_

_"MICHAEL!"_

_"BEV!"_

_**I'm scared. I think they're gonna shock me, Doc. And I don't know what's gonna happen if they do, so I want you guys to know that I love you. You were my family. You are my family.** _

_**You always will be. And don't forget me. Just please...don't forget me.** _

_He shrieked as they dragged him through the doors, tears streaming down his cheeks as he lost sight of her,_

_"THEY'RE GONNA KILL ME, BEV! PLEASE! BEV, PLEASE!"_

_She began sobbing as he disappeared from view, turning to the doctor in rage,_

_"I did NOT authorise this."_

_"Authorisation is no longer up to you at this point, Mrs. Milligram," the doctor began, shaking her head as she started down the hall into the Operating Room,_

_"This is for his own good."_

-ø-

"Oh dear, God..."

He closed the book and pushed it away, clamping his hands over his face,

"I can't...I can't read anymore of that."

Getting up from the booth, he began to pace the floor, shaking his head,

"No...no, no..."

Girl swallowed hard as she grabbed the journal and opened it back up, turning to the next entry,

" _February 28th, 1946..._ "

- _ **February 28th, 1946**_ _-_

_**Hello. I don't exactly know what it is they want me to put in here. I was told by my doctor to write in this journal. Can't figure out why on Earth they'd want me to do that.** _

_He frowned as he set the pen down, shaking his head silently,_

_"I don't know what to write."_

_The doctor smiled, frowning as she motioned to the journal,_

_"Anything. Anything that comes to mind."_

_He shook his head again,_

_"But nothing is."_

_**I suppose I should let you know that I'm being released from Stockton. From what the doctor's have gathered, I am apparently cured.** _

_He smiled as he eyed Beverly waiting for him at the front door; a team of doctors leading him to her. Suddenly, feeling a tug on his shirt, he spun to see a young woman with wide, brown eyes, her frazzled, dark hair falling in front of her face,_

_"Beware of the statues."_

_His eyes widened as she continued to claw at his clothes,_

_"Don't blink. Blink and you're dead!"_

_The doctors quickly pried her away from him, dragging her back down the hall as she screamed,_

_"Run! Run!"_

_**I imagine I won't be writing in this old thing, anymore. I don't really see the point. To whomever I was writing to before, I'm very sorry. I hope you have a good life.** _

_**Sincerely, Michael P. Milligram.** _

-ø-

They sat there, frozen in silence; the Doctor standing at the bar.

Kobra Kid sat back, shaking his head as he felt tears coming to his eyes,

"That's a joke, right...? That's gotta be a joke..."

The Doctor shook his head,

"A common side effect of electroshock...was memory loss. It's not a joke..."

He turned to the others, a distraught look on his face,

"He's gone. Everything he was...they destroyed him."

Fun Ghoul slammed his fist down on the table; running his hands through his hair as he hung his head,

"So...so that's it, then? That's all she wrote!? His whole life!?"

Shooting up from the booth, Kobra Kid turned and stormed outside. Girl watched through the window as he angrily began doing karate moves, dust and sand flying up around him.

Jet Star shook his head,

"That can't be the end of him, Doc...it just can't. I mean...he's still writing in there in 1992, remember?"

The Doctor straightened, looking to him thoughtfully,

"You're right...page 394."

Sitting back down, he opened the journal back up and started the next entry,

" _August 8th, 1946..._ "

- _ **August 8th, 1946**_ -

_**My wife is in labour...and I am freaking out.** _

_He could hear her screaming in the next room, nervously drumming on his knees as he sat there. He turned and picked up the journal beside him, grabbing a pen as he flipped to an empty page._

_**Her mother won't let me be with her until it's over. They're afraid it might do something to my psyche. Make me relapse, perhaps? I don't know.** _

_He swallowed hard as he looked over the journal at the angry looking man sitting across the hall from him. The man glowered at him and he coughed, nervously clearing his throat,_

_"Whatever I may have done to offend you, Mr. Spence, I'm terribly sorry."_

_The man remained silent. Shaking his head, he went back to his journal._

_**I don't know why I'm writing in this old thing. It isn't productive or anything...but it does make me feel a little better.** _

_"MICHAEL!"_

_Standing, he tossed the journal back into the chair and rushed into the room, pushing passed the nurses who tried to keep him out. He made it to her side and took her hand. She smiled at this and squeezed it tight._

_**It was a long process, to say the least.** _

_She held the baby close, turning her gaze to him with a giggle,_

_"Michael, look," he sat down on the bed beside her, and she smiled,_

_"It's your son."_

_He gazed at the tiny bundle in her arms, speechless._

_**I'm a father.** _

_"What should we name him?"_

_Beverly queried as he gently stroked the baby's cheek, and he smiled, finding himself in tears,_

_"How about...?"_

_**We're naming him Peter. I remember knowing someone by that name...but I can't place who.** _

_**I know he must have been important...because it hurts to think about. He wouldn't be important if it didn't hurt, right?** _

-ø-

The Doctor frowned, shaking his head in confusion as he looked to the boys,

"Who's Peter?"

They uncomfortably shifted in their chairs as Kobra Kid came back in from outside, the Doctor turning to look at him,

"Do you know?"

"Do I know, what?"

Fun Ghoul hissed softly as the Doctor was about to ask, stamping the man on his foot,

"OW, what in the hell was that-"

He jabbed his finger subtly in Kobra Kid's direction. The Doctor frowned again,

"What? What are you pointing at...?"

The raven-haired man slapped a hand to his face. It took him a moment and he glanced back at Kobra Kid again, eyes widening,

"Oh...Peter."

The blonde turned to him, startled. He swallowed hard as the other three groaned at him; settling uncomfortably,

"Oh...now I...now I get it."

He turned to the next entry before Kobra Kid could ask and cleared his throat,

" _September 5th, 1946..._ "

_**-September 5th, 1946-** _

_**I've been seeing strange things...having nightmares.** _

_He woke up in a cold sweat; eyes wide as he sat straight up in bed. Hearing the baby crying, he got up and headed to the nursery to check on him._

_**The desert. Most of my dreams involve the desert. I'm in a car...with four other people. We're being chased. We have strange weapons that we're shooting at our pursuers with...people with monstrous faces. I don't understand what these dreams mean...but every time I wake up...** _

_He scooped the baby out of his crib and held him; gently bouncing him as he walked over to the window,_

_"There, there."_

_As he reached the window, the faint light of a street lamp hit his face; glinting off of the tears that streamed down his cheeks._

_**I feel sad.** _

_He raised an eyebrow as he spotted an pair of angel statues across the street._

_**I can't remember much about my life before the war. In fact, I can't remember much about the war. I wonder if the desert played into it somehow.** _

_He turned and walked away from the window, taking the baby out of the room._

_Across the road, the spot in which the angels had been standing now lay vacant._

_**I've been seeing those statues a lot recently. I wonder if it's some type of marketing ploy...** _

_**-September 12th, 1946-** _

_**I've taken up drawing. Beverly said it might be a good idea to get these dreams out and not bottle them inside. She's probably right.** _

_She smiled as she strolled into the room behind him, the baby in her arms cooing softly,_

_"What are you painting?"_

_He turned to her with a grin and shrugged, shaking his head,_

_"I don't know. It came to me last night."_

_It was a painting of a diner in the middle of a desert._

_"It's good!"_

_He frowned at it, shaking his head as he bit the end of the brush,_

_"I don't know...something feels off about it. Like there's too much to it...or not enough?"_

_Beverly shook her head, turning to him with a grin,_

_"It looks okay to me."_

_They shared a brief kiss, then she turned and left the room as the baby began fussing,_

_"Oh, looks like somebody's hungry!"_

_He grinned, calling back to her with a snicker,_

_"Ah, well, a can a'Pup oughta shut him right up."_

_"What," she called, almost startled as she stepped back into the room._

_He froze, shaking his head as he snorted,_

_"I...I don't know. I'm not sure..."_

_Scratching his head curiously, he waved her back out,_

_"Nothing. Forget I said anything..."_

_-ø-_

_He frowned as he sat at the table; setting a plate food down in front of his wife,_

_"Do we know anyone named Matt?"_

_Beverly shook her head as he sat down,_

_"No, I don't think so..."_

_"Hmm...you sure?"_

_"Fairly," she began, shaking her head,_

_"Why?"_

_"No reason...I was just thinking today and that name crossed my mind. Matt...something. Maybe an actor? Matt...Smith?"_

_She looked to him, eyebrow raised in concern,_

_"Michael? Are you all right?"_

_He nodded shortly, waving her off with a smile,_

_"Yeah, I was just...oh, I'm sure it will come to me."_

_They finished dinner, the baby kicking up a fuss soon afterward. Nodding to her, he smiled and took the plates to the sink,_

_"I'll take care of this."_

_"You just don't want to have to clean him up."_

_He snorted at that, nodding shortly,_

_"Damn straight, I don't."_

_To this, Beverly paused, a smile crossing her lips,_

_"Could you...could you say that again?"_

_He raised an eyebrow,_

_"Say what? Damn straight? "_

_He frowned as she began to giggle, watching in confusion as she began to cry softly._

_Wiping her eyes, she bent down and pulled their son out his high chair,_

_"It's just...you sounded like your old self for a minute..."_

_**She seemed so disappointed.** _

_He sighed as she carried the boy out of the room, and turned to the sink, angrily jamming the plates into the basin._

_**That must be all I am to her these days...** _

-ø-

"He sounds so sad," Kobra Kid breathed, sitting down on one of the bar stools. The Doctor nodded, eyes widening as he turned to the next entry,

"Hold on..."

The others looked to him in surprise as he began reading,

" _September 13th, 1946_."

_**-September 13th, 1946-** _

_**MATT DAMON. BORN OCTOBER 8TH, 1970. WROTE AND STARRED IN GOOD WILL HUNTING IN 1997 WITH THAT PLAGUE UPON HUMANITY BEN AFFLECK.** _

_He paused in the middle of the street as the memory hit him like a truck and shook his head, staggering to a nearby tree._

_**HE IS MY FAVOURITE GODDAMNED ACTOR ON THE WHOLE FUCKING PLANET. DOC, HOW COULD I FORGET THAT!? AND MORE IMPORTANTLY...** _

_Tears hit his eyes as the images of a Trans Am roaring down a desert highway entered his mind, the four faces of the people he had called his family returning to him in a brilliant splash of colour._

_**HOW COULD I FUCKING FORGET YOU GUYS!?** _

_A smile of relief flashed across his face and he ran a hand up through his hair, beginning to laugh maniacally. He bolted down the street, throwing his arms out to the side._

_**I'm sorry. I'm so fuckin' sorry! I just read through the last few pages. God, whoever the fuck that creep was, he was boring as shiiiiiiiiiiiiit...!** _

-ø-

The Doctor stood slowly, gripping the journal tightly in his hands as he began pacing,

" _That settled, onto more pressing as opposed to de-pressing matters. Doc. Help. The angels are here. There are more of them now, I seen 'em. This ain't about me anymore, this is about Bev and Pete. Please, if you won't help me, at least help them._ _I'll do whatever it takes to keep them safe._ "

Kobra Kid straightened at that, his eyes widening,

"Pete? He named his kid 'Pete'...?"

Fun Ghoul nodded silently, the Doctor quickly shushing them.

-ø-

_**I can't win this fight on my own. I can't keep 'em safe on my own.** _

_**Doc, please...** _

_He hurried upstairs as he reached the door and sped up to the bedroom, grabbing the journal from his sock drawer._

_Slapping it against his palm, he nodded shortly and charged downstairs,_

_"Bev!"_

_She came out from the back room, quickly shushing him as he rushed over to her,_

_"Will you be quiet? The baby is sleeping! I just got him down-"_

_"Bev, Bev, I remember."_

_"You remember...remember wha-"_

_She paused, gazing at him in shock,_

_"You...you called me Bev. You never call me Bev, anymore..."_

_Grabbing his face, a smile tickled her lips and she began to cry,_

_"Michael...!"_

_He grabbed her shoulders and planted a rough kiss on her lips, to which she squealed. Pulling away just as quickly, he let out a sigh of relief,_

_"GOD, that felt good! If only I had more time..."_

_"More time? Michael, what?"_

_Shushing her suddenly, he raised the journal and tapped it to her lips,_

_"Shut up for a sec and listen to me. There's something I need you to do."_

_She glanced down at the journal, then back to him with concern._

_**Doc, I'm begging you...and I never fucking beg, no way, no how. Not to nobody...** _

_**Please...help. Help me keep my family safe.** _

-ø-

The Doctor growled angrily at that and thumped the journal to his forehead, his teeth grinding together in rage,

"I CAN'T MICHAEL! YOU KNOW I CAN'T! Why would you even _ask_...!? Blast...dammit!"

He tossed the journal over to the others, continuing to pace the floor in rage,

"He knows I can't...that bastard...why would he put me in this position!? Why!?"

Girl opened the journal back up and turned to the next entry, clearing her throat,

_"September 22nd, 1946...my dearest Michael. It's been almost a week, now. A week since you disappeared..."_

The Doctor groaned as they all looked to him; shaking his head furiously,

"Do not start. You know there is nothing I can do. Those events already took place, that time is fixed!"

Girl sniffled softly, her eyes beginning to well with tears,

" _A week since you disappeared...in the magic, blue box that was bigger on the inside_..."

The lanky man froze at that, turning slowly on his heel as she finished the sentence,

"... _you...and the Doctor_."

The Doctor snatched the journal from her in a rush, his eyes widening as he turned and steadied himself on the bar. He read it over. It was there.  
It was really there.

"Great _scott_!"

He breathed, a smirk crossing his lips as he turned and ran out the door. He rushed to the TARDIS, the others hurrying out after him. Kobra Kid came to a halt as he slammed the door shut, the box fading out of sight with a loud 'whoosh',

"Doc!? Doc, where are you going!?"

**SEVENTY-THREE YEARS PRIOR**

Bev sighed as she stepped out of the kitchen and into the hall. It was nearing 8:00, almost time for dinner. She paused briefly as she reached the phone, and glanced up the stairs. A tear hit her eye as she picked up the phone and dialled the number.

"Yes? Hello, this is Beverly Milligram...Michael's wife. I need to speak with the doctor right away-"

"Well, isn't this convenient?"

She straightened, her eyes widening as she dropped the phone and stepped into the living room. In the middle of the floor stood an enormous, blue box, the words **Police Public Call Box** glowing in white near the top. Out stepped a man in a purple, tweed coat, a grin on his face,

"Someone called for a doctor?"

~ø~

_"MICHAEL!"_

He jumped as he heard her shriek and quickly tore out of the nursery. He found her cowering on the stairwell, gripping the banister tightly,

"Bev! Bev, what's wrong-!?"

"Hello, Marty McFly."

He stopped as his eyes fell upon the man standing a few feet away; a blue police box looming behind him. A smile struck his face then and he let out a laugh.

The Doctor continued to smirk, a triumphant quality to his words,

"I'm here to take you back to the future."


	14. Chapter 14

** The Kids From Yesterday **

"Doc!"

With a beaming grin, Michael rushed forward and gave the Doctor a strong hug; the lanky man letting out a laugh. Pulling back, he shook his head; his mind racing,

"S-So, how did it go!? Are the guys okay!? And Girl!? Is she all right?"

The Doctor nodded and happily patted at the man's arms,

"Yes! Yes, everyone's fine! You were right! The angels left when you did! They're all 'A-okay'!"

They hugged again, the Doctor grasping him by the shoulders as he pulled away,

"Look at _you_! You haven't aged a day! And how long's it been, now... _six years_? You look _good_!"

He then shrugged; poking at the man's face a bit,

"Well...save for the crow's feet."

Smacking his hand away, Michael grinned and turned to Bev; pointing a finger at her,

"Told you that would work. You owe me five bucks."

The Doctor's laughter ceased at this and he frowned, glancing back and forth between them in confusion,

"Right-I'm sorry. What?"

"Oh yeah, I should _probably_ tell you," he began, folding his arms across his chest,

"I figured you wouldn't come here on your own, what with all that 'fixed time' bull shit you kept on about, so, I uh...I had Bev do a little _creative_ writing."

He handed the Doctor his journal. Raising a curious brow, he put on his spectacles and began reading,

" _September 22nd, 1946. It's been almost a week now, a week since you disappeared-_ "

He snapped the journal closed as he turned his now infuriated glare to Michael,

"The entry was a fake. You _duped_ me."

He shrugged; smirking proudly,

"Guilty. And damn proud of it, too. You made that too easy for me, Doc."

"Michael, this is _serious_ ," the Doctor scowled, stepping right up into the man's face,

"This isn't a game! This is a fixed timeline we are talking about! We can't go changing things up because we feel like it."

"Oh, well, lucky for you, we _didn't_ ," he grinned, snickering as he snatched the journal away and waved it back and forth in front of his face. The Doctor scowled at him silently.

Michael stopped, batting his eyes innocently as he puckered his lips into a pout,

"Aww, look. I made him mad," with a sniffle, he smacked his own cheek,

"Now, I feel really bad. Bad llama-"

To this, the Doctor shook his head,

"Do you realise how dangerous this is? Placing a fake entry in the journal just to get me to show up in a place I'm not supposed to be? This could rip the fabric of space and time apart and kill everyone around you _including_ your wife and child! Did you even stop to consider that risk when you did this?"

He watched the smile gradually fall from the younger man's face and cracked one of his own,

"You beautiful man."

Reaching up, he grabbed Michael by the cheeks and planted a fast, wet kiss on his lips. Upon pulling away from the now stupefied man, he turned to the frightened young woman behind him and smiled even brighter,

"And this must be Beverly! Hello! I've heard so much about you!"  
Leaning down, he softly kissed the air on either sides of her cheeks; then turned away; barrelling over the couch and to the front windows to peek out,

"All right! Let's have a look at those pesky angels you've been writing me about!"

"God," he stammered slowly; watching wistfully as the Doctor threw back the curtains,

"I forgot how soft those lips were..."

"M-Michael?"

He turned to his wife, whom was still sitting in a huddled mess of confusion on the steps. Helping her back up to her feet, he put an arm around her and led her further into the living room as she began to babble,

"There's a man in our living room..."

"Yeah, honey, I see him."

"How...how did he get in our living room?"

"Well, babe," he began, squeezing her shoulders tightly as they approached the TARDIS,

"I would imagine that big blue box has something to do with it...unless you took a trip to IKEA without telling me."

Handing the journal off to her, he quickly hopped over the sofa; following the Doctor to the window,

"So, what are we gonna do? If we're rippin' apart space and time then we gotta act fast, right?

"Yes, the faster the better."

The Doctor peered through the blinds, spotting the angel standing across the street. He waved his fingers at it, began to grin like a mad man,

"Yeah, hello, _Stony_...guess who's _back_? Didn't expect to see me did you...?"

Bev frowned as she circled the box, eyes wide in shock and wonder. She reached the door, and pulled it open, letting out a shriek as she peeked inside. Falling back to the floor, she scooted away from it; the dark-haired man grinning wildly as he ran over to her,

"What's the matter?"

"It's," she began to stammering, stumbling over her words,

"It's...bigger on the inside!"

Pausing briefly the Doctor sighed and smiled,

"Ahh, and there it is," he glanced over at Michael briefly; giddily rubbing his hands together,

"You know I love it when people say that..."

Strolling over to it, he shut the door and turned his gaze to the startled woman; a dark look on his face,

"I bet, though...and this a _long shot_...that you're probably reevaluating some thoughts on your husband's _mental care_ , right about now...eh, _Bev_?"

She looked to Michael, her eyes wide and sorrowful. He shook his head as he helped her back to her feet, and pulled her into his arms,

"Don't worry about it."

Giving her a peck on the top of her head, he turned and hurried over to the closet,

"Well, if we ain't got any plans for now, help me put these up, will ya?"

The Doctor let out a cackle as he dragged out a few wall-length mirrors,

"Where the hell did you get those!?"

"It's called _shopping_ , Doc," he grinned, pulling one of them over to the front window,

"It's what people do when they need to _buy_ shit."

Nodding, he helped him place the mirrors in each of the windows, starting with the ground floor.

Bev frowned as she helped her husband set the long sheets facing out in the window frames,

"I don't understand...what will the mirrors do?

"So long as we have a mirror set in every entry point," the Doctor interjected, nailing them in place,

"The angels shouldn't be able to get inside. Too much risk of them seeing themselves..."

"What happens if they see themselves?"

"They turn to stone."

The woman frowned, looking to him in confusion,

"But...I thought they _were_ made of stone."

"Well, you see, they are," he continued, glancing down at her with a sigh,

"But only when you're looking at them. It's very complicated, really, not a lot of time to explain..."

Upon reaching the baby's room, the Doctor smiled and leaned over the crib,

"Oh...is this him? Little Pete? He looks just like you!"

"Yep," he smiled as he looked down at the baby and nodded, Bev stepping into the room behind them,

"That's my grandpa."

"Your _'what'_ -?"

The two men looked to her, Michael's eyes growing very wide,

"Uh..."

He turned to the Doctor, who swallowed hard and nodded graciously at her,

" _Spoilers_."

He turned back as the baby began to coo at him and he straightened, shooting him a scowl,

"Oi, that was rude. Where'd you learn that?"

The baby cooed again and the Doctor pointed at the dark-haired man beside him,

"From _him_? I should have _known_."

He turned to Michael, wagging his finger at the man,

"You should be _ashamed_. Teaching your son that _filth_. Ought to wash both your mouths out with soap."

He then turned and left the room, adjusting his bow tie defiantly,

"It is _too_ cool..."

As Michael hurried to follow after him, Bev stopped him in the doorway,

"Michael, we need to talk..."

"Now's not really the best time, Bev."

"But, Michael...!"

He pushed passed her and she quickly followed him back downstairs after the Doctor.

The Doctor sighed as he reached the base of the stair well, and started over to the TARDIS, Michael calling after him,

"So, what are we doing, Doc? You got a plan, yet?"  
"Yes," the Doctor nodded, looking up at him as pushed the door open,

"It's called _leaving_. Can't do much else, really. They've got the place surrounded..."

He nodded at this and clapped his hands,

"Awright! That's what I wanted to hear," he spun to face Bev and motioned toward the stairs,

"Get Pete. We're hittin' the red line."

"No, Michael..."

They both froze and turned to the Doctor. He wore a solemn look,

"Not them. Just you."

The dark-haired man straightened and snorted, shaking his head,

"You're jokin' right?"

The Doctor stared at him silently.

Michael shook his head, running his hands up through his hair,

"No. No way. No dice."

"Michael-"

"I said, 'NO', Doc!"

He spun on his heel, hurt expression on his face,

"I ain't leavin' 'em here!"

"Michael," he began, sighing deeply,

"If they come with you, they'll be creating a paradox. You're a smart man. You know what that means, don't you?"

He shook his head, snorting in defiance,

"Does it looks like I give a fuck what it means?"

He nodded for her to go grab the baby, to which the Doctor shook his head,

"She can't come with you...neither of them can. Michael, they belong _here_. There's no other way! If they don't stay behind, who will Pete grow up to marry?"

"You know, I actually know someone who might be his type," he sneered, shaking his head,

"She's a bit old for him just yet, but I'm sure they'll make a _great_ pair..."

He turned to look up the steps, his eyes wide as the Doctor grabbed his arm,

"If they come with you, he will never meet your grandmother. In turn, they will never give birth to your father and he won't ever meet your mother. Michael...this is how it has to be! If we change things...if we stop this chain of events that establishes the Milligram family tree, who will be the ones to adopt you?"

"So," he licked his lips, folding his arms,

"You read _Page 394_..."

"Yes."

"I loved Harry Potter as a kid, you know...that's why I did that."

"I gathered that," the Doctor nodded, stroking his chin in thought,

"Rickman did a _great_ job with Snape."

"Aww, yeah...! He used to scare the fuck right outta me as a kid! Gettin' chills just thinkin' about it-"

"Stop trying to change the subject," the Doctor snipped, bringing him back to attention,

"Michael...if they come with you, you won't be _you_ anymore! This man, the person you are...Mike Milligram, _Party Poison_...he will never have existed _at all_. He'd be reduced to nothing but a ghost..."

He shook his head fiercely, meeting the Doctor's gaze,

"I _ain't_ leavin' her."

"Michael..."

His eyes widened as he turned, eying her at the top of the stairs. As she started down to him, he shook his head; eying the box in her arms,

"What...what are you doing? Where's Pete? We gotta go...!"

Bev smiled, shaking her head silently as she stepped up to him,

"We're not coming."

"Wh-Why not-!?"

"Because," she began, glancing over at the Doctor,

"If what he says is true...if I come with you...it means I'd lose you forever and I couldn't bear that."

"Oh, what, _now_ you're listening to what people tell you?"

She placed a hand on his cheek, sighing deeply as she felt tears hit her eyes,

"Michael...please."

His gaze fell as she softly stroked his hair, and he grabbed her hand, squeezing it,

"I can't leave you."

"You _have_ to..."

He shook his head; kissing said hand softly,

"I _won't_..."

"Michael, please," she pleaded, eyes glittering,

"If you love me...you'll go."

There was a loud banging on the wall and suddenly, light began flooding the room. The Doctor straightened at that; eyes wide as he ran to the window,

"The angels..."

There were now three of them standing in the front yard,

"They're breaking the mirrors."

"What do you mean 'breaking the mirrors'!? How!?"

The Doctor shook his head, frantically waving his sonic screwdriver at them,

"I don't know, but they've _obviously_ figured something out!"

Another shatter and Bev jumped, placing her hand on his chest,

"You should go. Quick. Before they get inside."

His lip quivered as he gazed down at her; a tear falling onto his cheek,

"I...I don't wanna live without you."

A sad smile hit her lips and she shook her head; placing her free hand over his heart,

"You won't...because I'll be there. I'll always be right there..."

Michael swallowed hard as he took the box from her and placed a hand around her head. He pressed his lips roughly to hers; the Doctor blushing as they shared a kiss that spanned over what felt like several minutes. Clearing his throat rather loudly, he stepped into the TARDIS, holding open the door.

As the two separated, he pressed his forehead to hers; a tear gliding down his cheek,

"When I promised you forever, I meant it...you know? Every word..."

She nodded, a laugh escaping her as she ran her fingers gently down his cheeks,

"I love you, Michael..."

He grinned, snorting softly as he grabbed her hands and kissed them,

" _Ditto_."

Closing his eyes, he held her for a few seconds more, then turned; running into the TARDIS.

The doors shut behind him and she gasped; backing away as the box began to dissipate in front of her. Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth in shock; a smile creeping onto her lips.

Moments later, it was gone; their living room now empty.

She stood there a moment at the vacant spot, her gaze dropping to the floor...

~ø~

She sat in the padded white chamber, rocking vigorously back and forth. Hearing a strange whirring noise, her head shot up and she crawled to the tiny window at her left. Peeking out, she saw a strange blue box flying up into the sky and giggled; her eyes filling with tears,

"Run...run, you _clever boy_..."

~ø~

_"And remember..."_

The Doctor sighed as he flicked at the controls, racing around the console like a mad man,

"All right! Next stop, 2019!"

He paused as he spotted the dark-haired man sitting quietly on the stairs; his eyes dropping to the box in his hands,

"What's that?"

With a smile, he opened the lid and pulled out a weather worn, blue jacket. Tears flooded his eyes as he held it in his arms, coughing shortly,

"She kept it. I thought she woulda tossed it out when I went to the funny farm...but she didn't."

A sorrowful laugh escaped him, and the Doctor sighed deeply,

"I'm sorry..."

He quickly shook his head and wiped his eyes, clearing his throat,

"No, you know what? It's okay. Couldn't be helped, you know? You warned me that the stuff in that journal was fixed and I didn't listen, like always."

The Doctor remained silent as he continued, watching tears glitter down the man's cheek,

"You know...now, I get it, though. I get why Grandpa _hated_ Milligram so much."

"Michael..."

"No, I do, I get it! I _walked_ away. It's _my_ loss..."

"Michael, you had no _choice_ ," the Doctor protested, rounding the console to him,

"If you hadn't gone, the angels-"

He shook his head, hand over his mouth as he scowled,

"Don't, Doc. Just don't."

The two of them fell silent and he bowed his head; looking sorrowfully down at the coat,

"You know...I was gonna be _different_. I wasn't gonna be a _deadbeat_ like Milligram was. I was gonna raise the _fuck_ outta that kid. We were gonna watch him grow up. Watch him graduate! Watch him marry my Grandma! And me and Bev...we were gonna grow _old_ together...! I never even knew I _wanted_ that before her! The 'American Dream'...and all that good shit."

He snickered sadly, wiping his nose with a cough,

"So much for that."

The Doctor sighed, his gaze falling to the floor as the dark-haired man continued to crumble in front of him.

"You know just once," he began, his tone growing angry,

"Just _once_ in my fucking life...I'd like for something to go right! I was _happy_ , Doc! What was so _wrong_ with that!? What did I _fucking_ do to deserve this!? I know I'm an _asshole_! I'm a prick and I...I don't know when to shut up, sometimes! Well, okay, _all_ the time...but that doesn't make me a _bad_ person, does it!? I mean...the killin' people part is kind of _grey area_ ," he coughed, scratching his head with a sigh,

"But it was part of the job! And back in 2019, I was just protectin' the guys! Those fuckin' Dracs were always the ones startin' shit! Comin' around with their ' _CITISEN, YOUR MUSIC IS AT AN UNACCEPTABLE LEVEL_ ' bullshit like they _owned_ the place! And they'd try to kill us for it! Over ' _noise_ _pollution_ '! We were just fighting back...that doesn't make us _bad_...does it?"

Snorting, he ran a hand through his hair and smiled,

"But you know, maybe it's better off this way...Bev never has to see that side of me. That side that's actually happy to pixelate a guy in a rubber mask. She's a lot better off, that's for sure...they both are."

The two of them silenced.

After a moment, the Doctor shook his head and brought the TARDIS to a halt,

"This can't happen."

The dark-haired man frowned as the Doctor began pacing, raising an eyebrow curiously,

"Doc?"

"It's not fair...it's _not_ fair! You don't deserve this! No one does!"

Shaking his head, a heavy feeling settled over his heart,

"You don't deserve to be separated from the one person in this universe who completes you," he paused, recalling the image of a young woman with blonde hair standing alone on a beach,

"...and I'm not gonna let it happen."

He wagged his finger in the air as he circled the console again,

"I'm not gonna let that happen!"

"Let what happen," he shook his head, a few strands of hair falling in his face,

"Doc? What're you talkin' about?"

"You and Bev," he cranked a few levers, his eyes wide like a mad man,

"You _deserve_ to be happy! And I'm gonna see that it's so!"

The TARDIS lurched, shooting back in the opposite direction. He stood, eying the Doctor with concern as the man began to cackle and scream at the pillar,

"That's right, _sweetie_...my ship, _MY_ rules! I'm sick of the universe getting it's way all the time! It's high time someone got the happy ending they _deserve_!"

Sparks shot forth from the console as the TARDIS began to whine and screech in protest; the Doctor beginning to struggle with her controls. The dark-haired man tensed as the ship began flying out of control; gripping the railing tightly,

"You're gonna fucking kill us!"

The TARDIS continued to protest and spark as they spiralled through space and time, as if trying desperately to throw the Doctor away from her controls.

After another fierce jolt sent Michael and the Doctor tumbling to the floor, the TARDIS came to a halt, her console going dark. The Doctor scowled at this, pushing himself to his feet with a grunt,

"She shut herself down..."

Pulling himself upright, Michael shook his head and wiped his nose as the Doctor began to pace frantically,

"Doc...it's okay. Shit happens."

"No, it's _not_ okay, Michael! This is not _okay_!"

He pulled at his hair in rage; the dark-haired man watching him bow his head in silence.

Suddenly, a fierce bang echoed around the room and the TARDIS shook violently. The dark-haired man straightened, eyes wide as the Doctor slowly approached the door,

"What the hell was that?"

Another bang.

He turned to the man, swallowing hard,

"If I had to wager a guess..."

_BANG._

Michael frowned,

"Angels."

_BANG BANG BANG._

The Doctor nodded. With a deep breath, the dark-haired man forced a smile,

"Well, let's do this, then."

Marching around the console, he grabbed the bazooka that still sat propped against the wall and went back to the door,

"Punch it, Doc. I need to let off some steam."

Nodding, the Doctor went back to the controls; looking to him nervously,

"What're you gonna do?"

He swallowed hard; readjusting the gun on his shoulder as tears hit his eyes,

"Just shut up and open that door when I tell you."

Taking a deep breath, the Doctor turned the power back onto full and started back in the opposite direction. As they gained speed, Michael made to steady himself and shouted over to him,

"Now!"

The Doctor complied and pulled the lever; the doors of the TARDIS flying wide open. An angel stared in at them; having latched itself to the door way. With a snarl, he fired a shot at it, blowing it to pieces. The particles flew outward; scattering into the time vortex. The Doctor shut the doors as soon as it had gone. Michael readied the gun a second time,

"Again."

The Doctor sighed; looking on sadly as he repeated this action time and time again.

The broken expression on Michael's face made it hard to watch...

~ø~

It had taken quite a bit of time, but the onslaught of angels had finally ceased. With a deep sigh, the dark-haired man let the bazooka drop, and he smirked, tossing it to the side,

"Out of charges. Good timing."

They stood in silence.

Clearing his throat, the Doctor looked to him apologetically,

"Not sure that was the best idea...littering the time vortex that way. Created a bit of a booby trap with all that angel dust. It'll make it a difficult trip to go back..."

"That so," he replied, his voice cracking as he turned away from the door.

Another drawing silence.

Clearing his throat, the Doctor offered him a smile,

"Oh, I made a pit stop in the early 2000s! Picked something up for you. Go check it out. Just down the hall, hang a left. Three doors down..."

Nodding, Michael trudged up the stairs with a deep sigh,

"Three Doors Down. I remember that band. I _hated_ that band..."

He disappeared into the hallway and the Doctor sighed deeply, shaking his head as he took the aged journal from his coat and opened it up; reading silently.

_"September 22nd, 1946. Dearest Michael, I know you had me make this entry once already...but seeing as it has really been a week now since you left, I felt you would be wanting to hear from me. The angels have disappeared. Pete and I are safe. I thought it'd be good for you to know that."_

-ø-

_**My mother has heard about your disappearance. Gossip travels fast in their world, I suppose.** _

_Beverly frowned as she opened the front door to see her mother standing there. The woman said nothing as she stepped forward and embraced her daughter tightly. Beverly awkwardly hugged her back, rolling her eyes as the woman forced a sob._

_**She thinks...that you left me. I told her that you hadn't and you were merely away on a trip.** _

_**I don't think she believed it.** _

-ø-

_**Life has been going very slowly. It seems, almost, that time has completely stopped for me.** _

_She stood on the playground, monitoring the students as they laughed and played happily with one another. A cool breeze blew passed her and she hugged herself tightly, rubbing her arms._

_**It's getting cool out. I remember last year when we tried to make s'mores and you burned the marshmallows. How they caught flame and fell off of our sticks. We nearly lost the entire yard in the ensuing fire...** _

_She smiled as the bell rang, tucking some hair behind her ear as she called the children back inside._

-ø-

_"I long to have moments like that with you, again. And for that, I will wait. I will wait for you, no matter how long it takes. Even if you never come home. I love you, Michael. And I am sorry that I ever doubted you. I hope you can forgive me. Love always, Bev."_

The Doctor put down the book as he heard footsteps behind him and looked up. There stood Michael, his hair no longer the dark, mousey brown it had been a short while ago but instead, a vibrant red, bright like lava, as it had been so long ago.

The Doctor smirked at this and turned to him fully,

"There he is. That's the Michael I remember. Now, put on the jacket, go on."

The fiery-haired man coughed at this, shaking his head as he pulled it on and zipped it up,

"That's _Party Poison_ , to you, _Doc Brown_."

The Doctor let out a whistle and smiled to him,

"Oh yes! There he is, ladies and gents! The star of the hour-"

Party Poison smirked as he sniffled; tossing the box in his hand to the floor,

"Shut up..."

They silenced for a moment; the lanky-man soon clearing his throat as he went back to the controls,

"Well, are you ready, then... _Marty McFly_?"

He let out a laugh, a tear hitting his eye as he nodded,

"Yeah...yeah, I guess so."

"Well, that was _enthusiastic_ ," the Doctor huffed, placing a hand on his hip,

"Say it with a bit more _conviction_! C'mon! You're going _home_! Not many people can say they tangoed with a Weeping Angel and _survived_!"

He grinned as the Doctor continued,

"C'mon...! You can do it! Shout it from the rooftops, _Party Poison_! You're going home!"

The lanky man hesitated a moment, swallowing hard as his voice came out in an awkward squeak,

"Say it! 'I'm going home... _fuck_ , yeah'!"

Party Poison dissolved into cackles at this; clapping his hand wildly,

"Wow! Way to go, Doc!"

The lanky-man stood a little taller then, puffing out his chest,

"Fuck, _yeah_!"

"Fuck, yeah," Poison shouted back,

"I'm goin' home!"

"FUCK," the Doctor grinned, slapping at the controls feverishly,

" _YEAH_!"

~ø~

The TARDIS doors opened and they both stepped out, Party Poison shaking his head with a sigh,

"Nothing's changed."

"Well, to them, it's only been a few hours since you left," the Doctor began, glancing over at him,

"What did you expect?"

With a deep breath, he shook his head, glancing around,

"Where's the Diner?"

"Oh, a few miles up the road, sorry. She wouldn't take me any closer," he coughed, clearing his throat,

"I suspect she's a bit miffed about earlier."

"Oooooh, somebody's gonna be on the couch, _toniiiiiiiiiiiiiiight_..."

The Doctor smiled at that and gave him a gentle shove, handing him the journal,

"Oh, here. This is yours... had to use it to track down your time energy."

Poison nodded as he took it and placed it in his coat, the Doctor stepping back inside the TARDIS,

"And I brought this along as well..."

He came back out with a gigantic, furry, blue, mascot head; shoving it toward him,

"Wasn't sure how the weather would be. Would hate for you to croak on your first day back..."

He pulled the cord over his shoulder, nodding in gratitude,

"Thanks...you're so _thoughtful_."

"And also, before I forget," he handed the flame-haired man a small device,

"Here."

Poison smirked as he flipped it open, eyebrows raised curiously,

"A flip phone? What is this? 2009-"

"Oi," the Doctor took it, flicking it open and closed repeatedly,

"Flip phones are _cool_."

"Yeah, if you're _Peter Banning_ -"

"Would you just shut up and listen for a second," he shook his head; sighing deeply as the wind took his bangs for a ride,

"That's a direct line to me. The angels come back, you call. Don't hesitate."

Party Poison smirked at that,

"Ain't got no signal out here in the desert, Doc."

"Doesn't matter," he waved the sonic screwdriver at it,

"You won't need one."

The Doctor then offered a smile; his face turning serious,

"I'll find a way, you know that. I'll find a way to get you back to her."

Poison laughed softly at that and shook his head,

"I don't get it. Why do you care so much? You just met me...like, what? Three days ago?"

"Technically for you," the Doctor began, folding his arms,

"More like _six years_."

"Shut up, you know what I mean," he smirked, looking down at the phone in his hand,

"I'm nobody important..."

"Who said," the Doctor straightened, gazing at him with concern,

"I've never met anyone who wasn't important, Michael. No one, and I mean _no one_ in the universe _hasn't_ been significant, not ever. Not in 1200 years...what makes you think you're any different?"

The red head swallowed hard, ducking his head away as he punched the man in the shoulder,

"Stop. You're startin' to sound like a fucking _Hallmark_ card."

A loud rumble sounded in the distance and they both glanced up, Party Poison frowning,

"Is that...?"

The Doctor nodded,

"Sounds like it..."

He shoved the vibrant-haired man forward a bit,

"Go on."

He glanced back as he took a few steps, adjusting the mouse head hanging from his shoulder,

"You-uh...you think they missed me?"

The Doctor nodded with a smile as he leaned back against the TARDIS,

"Oh, yeah. I _know_ they did."

Nodding, Party Poison took a deep breath,

"Okay..."

The Doctor turned and stepped back into the police box, Poison calling after him,

"Hey, Doc!"

Turning back, he caught the grin on the man's face and raised an eyebrow.

Party Poison offered him a smile,

"Stay shiny, all right?"

The Doctor nodded thoughtfully,

"You as well."

Poison then turned and started down the road with a wave,

"And good luck with your _date_."

The Doctor frowned at that, his eyes widening as he quickly hurried back inside,

" _Charlie_!"

Party Poison grinned as he heard the 'whooshing' sound begin, glancing back momentarily as the TARDIS began to dematerialise.

As it disappeared, he turned back; the blaring of music now filling his ears,

_'"...spit casually. A heart, you got it in the one you need. I'm at a loss, because of tragedy._

_For what you got, I got the ones you need..."'_

A white, 1979 Trans Am appeared seconds later, coming fast over the hill towards him.

He smiled, able to hear Fun Ghoul's shouting over the booming bass,

"DUDE, STOP! STOP THE FUCKING CAR."

They screeched to a halt a few feet away and he stopped in his tracks, frozen stiff. The blonde in the driver's seat looked positively startled as he stepped out, his face as white as a sheet,

"Poison...?"

Fun Ghoul hopped out behind him, eyes wide,

"I told you I heard it, dude."

They stared at each other for a moment, the red head unable to form words.

It had been six years since he'd last seen them. He'd been through a war, gotten married, had a kid...what could he possibly say to them?

He coughed, clearing his throat as he placed his hands on his hips,

"Seriously. _Again_!? Who let you drive _this_ time!?"

Turning to Jet, he shook his head and pointed to Kid,

"I fucking told you before, he ain't allowed to drive my car. Fuckin' _wax_ in your ears or somethin'!?"

The three of them remained silent. Girl hopped out a few seconds later, her eyes wide as she saw him.

Kobra Kid clenched his fists at this and bit his lip,

"You're here. Y-You're really here..."

"Yeah. And _unabashedly_ queer. Get over it," Poison snickered, a tear hitting his eye.

Shaking his head, Kid charged forward, snarling at the man angrily,

"You fucking _bastard_!"

Expecting a punch to his face, Poison smirked and braced himself,

"Well, I _missed_ you-"

Instead, he was met with a very tight embrace. His eyes widened and he glanced at Kobra Kid in confusion,  
"-too...?"

The soft sound of Kid's sobbing brought tears to his eyes and he swallowed hard; closing his eyes as he hugged him back. After a few moments, the blonde man pulled back and shoved him forcefully, wiping his eyes of any tears before the flame-haired man had a chance to ridicule him for it,

"Thought you were supposed to be bald. I was lookin' forward to the _chrome dome_."

"It grew back," Poison punched him in the arm, a smile flickering across his face,

" _Smart ass_."

Starting back for the car, he was met by Ghoul and Jet's smiling faces,

"Ain't nothin' changed, got it? I'm still king rat around here."

Girl grinned as he came to a stop in front of her, nodding to her shortly,

"Up top, pipsqueak."

He held up his hand and she went for it, the man cackling as he pulled it away at the last second,

"Aww, missed! Here, try again?"

She went for it a second time and he pulled away, grinning,

"Aww, twice? That's too _bad_!"

She punched him in the thigh as he tousled her hair, a grin spreading across her cheeks as she held back her tears,

"You fuckin' _jerk_."

They turned to get in the car, the red head stopping Kid as he went for the driver's side,

"Ah-ah!"

Rolling his eyes, Kobra Kid slapped the keys down into the older man's hand and Poison smirked,

" _Grassy-ass_ , mi amigo."

Kid punched him in the shoulder as he rounded the car to the passengers side and the others climbed in; Poison taking a deep breath as he glanced around. He smiled.

Settling in behind the wheel, Poison let out a groan and shook his head,

"Aww, baby. I missed _you_ the most..."

He frowned as he reached to the put the key in the ignition, feeling something in his pocket shift awkwardly. Raising an eyebrow, he pulled out the object; his eyes widening.

In his hand, he held a small, wooden rosary.

Kobra Kid frowned as he spied it, raising an eyebrow curiously,

"A cross? I thought you weren't the believing type..."

The red head gazed at it mournfully, a sad smile crossing his lips,

"I'm not..."

He swallowed hard.

Lacing it around his wrist, he took the wheel firmly in his grasp and started the car,

"But _she_ is...only right to humour _her_."

_**Look alive, sunshine...109 in the sky, but the pigs won't quit! You're here with me, Dr. Death Defying...** _

They frowned at that and he smiled; suddenly stepping on the gas,

"Let's go, _ladies_."

Girl let out an excited squeal as they started down the road, the car gaining a bit of air time as they hit a small hill.

_**This one's for all you rock and rollers. All you crash queens and motorbabies.** _

_**Killjoys...MAKE SOME NOISE.** _

~ø~ _ **  
**_

_**-Some Time Later...-** _

The Doctor smiled as he rounded the console; the phone cord wrapped around him as he strolled,

"See, Charlie? I told you everything would work out! You didn't even need my help-"

He paused, slouching over the console as he tried to wriggle out of the wires he was wrapped in,

"Yeah...yeah, I get that I was a bit _late_ , sorry! Two years, yeah...I...well, I was busy! With _what_?"

He tossed the wires away and rolled his eyes,

"With... _stuff_. Very _pressing_ stuff!"

He heard something else in the cabin begin to ring and frowned, raising an eyebrow as he hurriedly rushed to hang the phone up,

"Gotta go, sorry, Charlie. Seems I'm getting another call. Ta!"

Slamming the phone down, he rolled his eyes in annoyance and began curiously searching the room for the source of the noise. He found it in a small, celluar device. A smile crossed his lips and picked it up,

"Well, if it isn't Marty McFly..."

_CLICK._

He frowned as the line went dead and pulled the phone away from his ear; tapping it in confusion,

"Michael?"

~ø~

The TARDIS touched down in front of the Diner and the Doctor frowned, poking his head out first,

"Michael?"

Stepping out, he spotted a startled young woman seated on the front steps and started toward her,

"Oi! You! Seen anyone around here, lately," he called, pulling at his hair,

"Brightly coloured hair? Greasy jacket. Answers to _'Party Poison'_ , though _God_ only knows why..."

She stood as he came up to her, eyes wide as he passed her by,

"You showed up. You actually showed up..."

He ignored her and stepped on into the building,

"Boys? Michael!? Are you in here?"

He looked around in confusion. The place was caked in sand and dust. Cobwebs covered the mannequins and other fixtures in the room. It looked as though no one had been there for a very long time.

"Abandoned?"

He spotted a yellowed envelope on the counter top addressed 'Doc' and stepped over to it, taking it cautiously in hand.

Dust and grime cascaded off of it as he opened the flap and pulled out an aged letter; a flash of concern crossing his face as he began reading,

"What...?"

Turning to the young woman in the door way, he frowned,

"Who are you? Where's Michael? Where's Party Poison!?"

She backed away silently and he started after her, shouting furiously,

"Where are they!? Come back here!"

The greasy-haired teen bolted across the road and out into the desert scape, the Doctor keeping within 10 feet of her. They rounded a few joshua trees and passed a tall dirt slope, finally coming upon a graffiti-glazed mailbox. A tiny black cat sat on top of it; leaping down as the young woman came to a stop.

The Doctor called after her, his chest heaving,

"Now, you listen to me," he gasped for air, coming up behind her,

"I want you to tell me all you know...where have they gone? The boys. Th-The Killjoys, they called themselves. They had a little girl with them, someone they were protecting. Something bad's happened. Something very bad. I need you to tell me where-"

"I know," the young woman slowly turned to face him, her soft, blue eyes filled with sorrow.

He spotted the phone in her grasp and snatched it away from her,

"Where did you get that!?"

He held it in his hand for a moment, then looked to her again. His eyes widened in disbelief,

"Girl..."

She nodded shortly; tears hitting her cheeks. Taking her by the shoulders, he looked into her eyes; a look of fright on his face,

"Girl, where are they? Where are the boys? Where's Michael?"

She shook her head; keeping silent as he continued,

"The angels? Did the angels come back? What is it? What's happened? Tell me!"

Bowing her head, she stepped away from the mailbox; allowing him to see it. His heart stopped.

Kneeling down, he raised a hand to the monument; running his fingers over it in disbelief,

"No..."

Three masks, as well as a vacant spot outlined in bright yellow paint, had been fixed to it's side, bearing the phrase **'Die with your mask on, fucker'.**

He glanced back from it slowly, tears in his eyes,

"When did this happen...?"

Girl sniffled as she picked up the cat and held it in her arms,

"12 years ago...tomorrow."

His eyes widened as he turned back to it again, shaking his head furiously,

"No...no, that can't be right..."

"I got captured...and taken to Battery City. They didn't stand a chance...but they came for me anyway..."

She bit her lip as she held back her sobs; squeezing the cat in her arms a bit tighter,

"They died."

He wiped a shaking hand across his face as he turned back to the monument; his voice choked and soft,

"Oh...oh, Michael, I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..."

Rising to his feet, he pulled a hand to his throat and turned away, walking slowly back for the Diner.  
"Well, aren't you gonna _do_ something!?"

The young woman called after him. He turned back to her; swallowing hard. Silently, he shook his head and she scoffed; her eyes filling with rage,

" _No_!? What do you mean... _no!?_ You've got a _time machine_ , haven't you," she began, dropping the cat as she marched after him,

"You can go back! You can _save_ them!"

"No, I can't," he began; shaking his head as she approached,

"I'm sorry, but I can't."

"Why not!? You did it before! Remember!? When you brought Poison home! You said you couldn't do that, either, but you did! Doc, you can do this, too! Please, I know you can!"

"To do so would create a paradox, Girl, I can't! I'm sorry," he shouted, his hair becoming frazzled by the wind as hot tears hit his cheeks,

"And even if I could, what would happen to _you_ -!?"

"I don't _care_ what would happen to me," she screamed back; heaving painfully,

"They were my _family_! The only family I had _left_! I need them, Doc! Please! _Please_ , bring them back!"

He turned away and continued walking; squeezing his eyes shut as she shouted after him,

"Fine! Just walk away! You...you fucking _bastard!_ What _good_ are you, anyway!? _Hypocrite_! If I _ever_ see you again, I'll plant a _laser_ between your fucking _eyes_! You hear me!? I'll destroy you!"

Turning sharply, she grabbed the knapsack that rested beside the mailbox and stormed away; the tiny black cat glancing back for one last look at the Doctor's retreating figure before following after her.

~ø~

He stood silently in the abandoned Diner, the setting sun catching dust in it's golden rays as it poured in through the slatted window shades. Carefully unfolding the letter, he put on his spectacles and began to read to himself,

" _Doc. If you're reading this, then that can only mean one thing. We failed._ "

-ø-

_**Girl got nabbed by the S.C.A.R.E.C.R.O.W. We're heading out to Batt City to bring her back. They're armed to the teeth up in that place. What we're doing...well, it's probably suicide.** _

_Korse smiled as he dragged the frizzy-haired woman into the room and shoved her toward the sealed body bag in the middle of the floor. She fell to her knees; turning to him with a hateful glare. He smiled,_

_"Your son, dear Oracle. As promised."_

_Turning back to the bag, she unzipped it carefully; a harsh sob escaping her as her gaze fell upon the man with vibrant, red hair lying before her. Korse continued, hands behind his back,_

_"I'm sure this must be terribly difficult...having to live this day_ _**twice** _ _over."_

_She fell onto the man's chest, grasping the folds of his blue jacket as she continued to wail._

_"Well," the bald man sighed; bringing a pure white gun out from behind his back,_

_"Rest assured...your pain will cease very shortly."_

_He aimed for the woman's back and calmly pulled the trigger..._

_**I don't know where she is, now...but she's the only hope for the future. Not ours anymore...but for everybody else out there in that desert. If you could find her...make sure she's safe...I'd really appreciate it.** _

-ø-

" _Also...there's one more thing I'd like you to do. I know it's a lot to ask...but...if you could, that would be STUPENDOUS. I think you already know what it is..._ "

The Doctor swallowed hard as he folded up the letter and turned; starting back for the TARDIS.

~ø~

_**California - 2009 - June** _

Stepping into the small, biker shop, the Doctor let out a deep sigh and glanced around.

He eyed it hanging in a case on the wall; the blue, leather jacket with the 'Dead Pegasus' insignia on the left breast. Swallowing hard, he approached the counter; spying a young, black-haired teen behind the register,

"Excuse me."

The boy didn't seem to hear him, instead continuing to chat on his phone,

"C'mon, I said I would. Well, you believe me, don't you?"

Clearing his throat, the Doctor drummed his fingers against the tabletop,

"Hello...?"

"Yeah? Well, if you're lucky, I'll take you up behind the sign, again. Yeah, you remember..."

He coughed loudly, the boy glancing back at him briefly,

"Gotta go. Yeah, customer. Later."

Hanging up the phone in annoyance, he turned to the Doctor and leaned forward on the counter,

"Can I help you with something, _beautiful_?"

"Yes, I," the Doctor looked away from the jacket and to the cashier; his eyes widening in shock,

"Party Poison..."

The boy narrowed his eyes in confusion a few black strands of hair falling in front of his face,

"S'cuse me?"

Tears hit the Doctor's eyes as he shook his head, a smile hitting his lips as he gazed into the face of a young Mike Milligram,

"No, no, it's nothing...sorry...?"

He nodded to the boy's name tag with a smile,

" _Michael_."

Michael nodded slowly, keeping a cautious eye on him as he shook his head,

"O...kay..."

Sighing, the boy rounded the counter toward him, leaning back against it with arms crossed,

"There something I can help you with...?"

The Doctor froze, stuttering as he quickly came back to attention,

"S-Smith! John Smith."

"John Smith," the boy snorted; propping his elbows casually on the counter,

"Where's _Pocahontas_?"

The Doctor laughed softly, hanging his head as he quickly wiped at his nose,

"Oh, you know...left her in the New World. The old girl's not much for shopping..."

Michael grinned, nodding shortly at that,

"Awriiight, you got a keen sense of humour, old man."

"Old, yeah," he nodded as the boy rounded the counter again, turning his gaze back up to the jacket,

"You wouldn't _believe_ how old..."

"Lemme guess? Like, 40?"

"Try closer to _1240_..."

He stopped, shaking his head as he looked to the Doctor,

"Yeaaaaah...okay."

Noting his fascination with the jacket, the boy licked his lips and nodded shortly,

"You interested?"

The Doctor nodded as he pulled a ladder out of the back; swallowing hard,

"Oh, yeah..."

"That's a replica of an old WWII jacket," Michael began as he set up the contraption, climbing up and popping it out of the case,

"One of a kind...well, save for the real thing, that is."

"And the real one is where?"

"My dad owns it," the boy sighed; hopping down to the floor with the coat on his arm,

"And it ain't for sale. Family heirloom, all that good shit."

He set it down on the counter for the Doctor to look at,

"Synthetic material. All made in Americaaaa," he droned, popping the gum in his mouth with boredom,

"Insert the usual sales pitch here..."

The Doctor looked it over, a sad look in his eye as he ran his fingers over the pill insignia across the back,

"A friend of mine...a good friend...he once had a jacket like this one. It was a little older...and a lot more beat up, but...it was pretty close."

Michael raised an eyebrow at that, leaning against the counter with an intrigued look,

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah," the lanky man continued, his lips twitching into a smirk,

"Bit of an _ass_ , that one. Lived out in the desert with a couple of friends...out in the _zones_..."

"The _zones_ , huh?"

The Doctor nodded,

"Drove a Trans Am. Fought for the greater good...or as the Beastie Boys would put it... _the right to party._ "

He watched the boy smirk at that and grinned.

They were both quiet for a moment, Michael sighing deeply as he shook his head,

"So, this friend of yours. What else does he like? Probably got a few other things here that would suit him..."

"Oh, he was big into movies," the Doctor watched the boy wander about the store, looking for other items to pitch,

"Pretty keen on Matt Damon."

The kid let out a whistle,

"I like this guy _already_...!"

"So did I," the Doctor said softly, scratching his head nervously as the boy turned to look,

"And it's 'liked', actually. He recently passed...rather suddenly, too."

An empathetic look flashed across the boy's face and he took a deep breath, shaking his head,

"Whoa, sorry..."

"It's all right," the Doctor coughed, waving it off with a grin,

"It's just, uh...it would have been a _privilege_...travelling with him, you know? An _honour_."

Michael nodded stepping up behind the counter with a frown as the man continued,

"All the times we could have had...places we could have gone. That would have been something. But he's not here anymore and all those memories...those memories are just ghosts, now. Ghosts in the sun..."

They sat in silence for a moment or two, the Doctor finally clearing his throat as he wiped his eyes,

"Well, just this, I guess. How much?"

Michael coughed, wiping his nose as he nodded shortly,

"The jacket, yeah...uh, $250."

He frowned at that as he pulled out a wallet and handed him a card; eying the sign on the wall,

"When the going rate is $500?"

The boy nodded shortly and swiped it in the machine,

"$250, _Doc Brown_ , take it or leave it."

The Doctor gaped at him blankly as he handed him back the card; eyes glistening as he smiled,

"I'll take it... _Marty McFly_."

Michael snorted at that; shaking his head as he tapped at the printer. Ripping off the receipt, he pulled out a black, shirt box and folded the jacket carefully into it,

"Well, here you go. Hope the kid likes it."

"How'd you know I was-"

"'Cause ain't no _old fart_ like you gonna rock a _hot number_ like that," the boy snickered, flicking the man's bowtie,

"'specially with _that_ nonsense."

The Doctor cracked a smile and shook his head, scratching his neck,

"You know...you're probably right. I'm not _that_ cool..."

"Who's it going to," Michael queried, shrugging as the Doctor took the box in arm,

"If that ain't too personal..."

"It's uh..." the Doctor paused, biting his lip in thought,

"I'm giving it to his son. Maybe one day he'll grow into it and then he'll pass it on to _his_ son and then one day...oh yes, one day...it might make it into the hands of a young boy, who stood taller and shown brighter than any star on the Walk of Fame. Who more than anything else fought to protect what little family he had. Yes...that boy. He was brilliant, he was."

Gazing at the black-haired boy briefly, the Doctor cleared his throat again and turned for the exit,

"Well, see you around..."

"Yeah," Michael stammered; swallowing hard,

"H-Have a good one."

He stopped in the doorway, glancing back one last time,

"Oh, and Michael..."

The boy glanced up as he reached for the phone; a concerned look in his eye.

The Doctor smiled; shooting him a wink as he made a gun with his fingers,

"Stay shiny."

He then turned and disappeared into the sunlight; the boy letting out a deep sigh as he dried his eyes and hurriedly walked to the back room to make a call,

"Fuckin' _weirdo_..."

~ø~

_**California - 1948 - December** _

It was a tad nippy out that day. Beverly froze as she and Pete arrived at the playground; eyes wide as she spotted the blue police box on the other end of the lot. The man in the purple coat, the one she recognised as the Doctor, sat on a bench nearby; black box in hand. Ushering for Pete to go play on the swings, she hurried over to him, glancing around hopefully,

"You came back...is Michael with you!? Is he all-"

The Doctor stood as she reached him, a solemn expression on his face as he handed her the box.

Frowning, she opened it to find a blue jacket inside, one that matched his; shiny and brand new. She dropped the lid as her knees grew weak; looking to the Doctor in confusion.

He was tearful.

"I'm sorry," he whispered softly, a solitary tear gliding down his cheek.

Turning away, he slowly started back for the TARDIS, leaving her standing by the bench.

Tears fell silently from her eyes as she ran her hands over the jacket's soft finish.

"He's dead, isn't he," she began; hard lump in her throat,

"Michael...I won't ever see him again...?"

The Doctor paused as he reached the TARDIS door; pushing it open slightly,

"Actually," he turned back to her, offering a smile,

"He hasn't even been born, yet..."

She frowned as he stepped inside and closed the door; the TARDIS dissipating soon after.

Glancing back over at their son, she pulled the coat out of the box and held it for a moment; sobbing quietly into it. It smelled new. Nothing like him at all.

After a moment, she dried her eye, jogging over to the boy with an exuberant smile,

"Petey! Look! Look at what your Daddy's friend brought!"

The tiny tot gasped at the blueness of the jacket and she knelt down, draping it over his shoulders,

"It belonged to him! So, you wear it always, okay? You wear it and think of him..."

Pulling the small boy into her arms, she squeezed him tightly and closed her eyes,

"Think of him...and how much he loved you."

~ø~

Standing alone in the TARDIS, the Doctor gripped the console tightly as he fixed his gaze onto the monitor. He'd patched himself into a feed of the Better Living security cameras from that fateful day.

His heart sank as the scene played out.

They had _almost_ made it outside. They had been _so_ close.

He shut his eyes and turned away as he watched the bald man mercilessly fire the gun resting at Party Poison's chin; the man slumping lifelessly to the floor. Hanging his head sadly, he stood in silence for a few moments; listening to the TARDIS whoosh and whizz through time and space.

He then picked up the letter again, and took a deep breath,

" _Don't blame yourself...for whatever happened. It ain't your fault. No one could have known what was gonna go down. Kinda like that Garth Brooks song from the 90s. You know...the one about dancing or some shit. I wouldn't have changed it. Not one thing..._ "

~ø~

 **-** _**California - 1997 - December** _ _-_

"Come on, Michael! We'll be late for the movie!"

The dark-haired boy scowled as he trudged up the steps behind his parents,

"Does she _have_ to come? She's so...creepy-"

His mother looked to him with a fierce scowl,

" _She_ is your great grandmother and she is 83-years-old. And more importantly," she insisted, pinching his cheeks roughly,

"She wants to spend time with her great grandson!"

The boy pouted as the woman pushed him up the steps and through the door. His father was already inside and helping her into her wheelchair,

"Here you go, Grandma Bev."

He turned the wheelchair to face the boy and the old woman's eyes lit up brightly,

"Oh, look at him! He's so grown up, I almost didn't recognise him."

"I'm five, Grandma," he swallowed uncomfortably as she began to pop her dentures in and out,

"You just saw me at my birthday. I look the _same_."

His mother tapped him on the head, to which the old woman laughed,

"It's all right, Mary. He's sassy like his great Grandpa...it's a good quality."

They wheeled her out to the car and helped her inside; driving a few short minutes to the mall.

As they reached the front desk, his father ordered the tickets,

"Four for Home Alone III, please."

Michael made a face as his father handed him the ticket, glancing over briefly at the elderly woman next to him. She chuckled at the dismayed look on his face.

As they entered the theatre and sat down, the elderly woman cleared her throat and let out a deep sigh,

"I have to go to the restroom..."

His father began to get up out of his seat and quickly, she waved him back down,

"Oh, nonsense, dear. Michael's on the end. He can take me. _Can't_ you, Michael?"

The small boy looked to his parents with fearful eyes,

"No...!"

"Michael-"

"What if she falls on me-"

" _Michael-!_ "

"I can't pick her up by myself! I'm little! Look at me!"

His mother's eyes widened at his words and she bit her lip, turning to the woman with a deep sigh,

"I'm so sorry, Grandma Bev, he isn't usually like this."

"Oh, don't be sorry, he's young," she laughed softly, waving it off,

"And if I fall on him, I'll be sure not to land on his mouth so he'll _at least_ be able to breathe..."

The boy's eyes widened as his mother ushered him out of the chair and he turned back to them with a hiss,

"I hope you guys know this is child endangerment," he whispered, shaking his head disapprovingly,

"Letting a 5-year-old look after a _dinosaur_..."

His mother clamped a hand over her mouth as the boy wheeled the elderly woman out of the theatre; shaking her head in shock,

"I'm gonna slap that boy, John, so help me. He needs to be slapped."

"I know, Mary, I know..."

-ø-

The boy frowned as they made their way back toward the restroom, the elderly woman soon waving him to a halt,

"Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop. Let's go in here."

She pointed to the theatre beside them. He raised an eyebrow,

"You wanna pee in there? I don't think they'll let you, _Grandma_."

She let out a cackle, clapping her hands together with a smile,

"No! No! I only said that so we could get the hell out of that cheesy _kid's_ movie and see something _good_."

"But we didn't buy tickets for this."

"Oh, so what," she waved a hand, motioning for him to roll her inside,

"If they question us, just tell them I have dementia and forgot which theatre we were in. What are they gonna do? Arrest us?"

The boy snickered as he glanced up at the marquee for the movie,

"Isn't this the one with Robin Williams?"

"Yes...and Matt Damon, too."

"Matt- _who_?"

She giggled as he wheeled her into the theatre,

"An actor. I've heard he's _pretty_ good..."

~ø~

_"...Because, it was Bev, Doc. Bev was the one who first took me to see a Matt Damon movie. Good Will Hunting...1997. Best day of my young life...well, until the movie ended anyway. I got in so much trouble. And she got off scot free, of course, the weasel. She died a few days after that. And I'll never forget how sad I was. I was inconsolable...and I didn't even know why."_

The Doctor sighed as he leaned back on the controls, flicking a few knobs here and there as he scanned further down the page.

_"Well, we're about to head out. Can't hang around this old dump forever, I s'ppose. But I'll tell you something, Doc Brown. Don't let anyone ever give you any shit. 'Cause you know what?_

_You_ _**are** _ _cool. And don't you forget that._

_Signed, Michael 'Party Poison' Milligram._

_P.S. Tell your girlfriend I said 'Hi'."_

The Doctor let out a laugh as he closed the paper and tucked it into his coat pocket; wiping his eyes with a deep sigh. Turning back for the monitor, he brought up the image of the Victorian woman whom he'd been searching for as of late and stared at her image intently.

He then paused, frowning in thought,

"All that time energy...it was like it had built up for a long time. It must have caused the TARDIS to malfunction, that's why I landed there, but...how? How did you get it, Michael...?"

_"Where did it all come from?"_

- _ **California - 2035 - April**_ _-_

_Three Years after the fall of Better Living Industries..._

The curly-haired woman smiled as she held the cooing baby in her arms. Setting him down in his rickety crib, she spun the mobile over his head and giggled as he reached for the bright yellow mask dangling from it. On the nightstand nearby set an old photo of a group of people standing by a beat up, 1979 Trans Am. The man kneeling at centre had bright red hair and his arm around a young girl no more than six. Running her fingers along the baby's cheeks, she rolled her eyes as she heard the little one's father shout from the next room,  
"Girl, c'mon! We're gonna be late for the show!"

"I'm coming! Don't get your panties in a knot!"

She leaned over the crib and gave the baby a kiss on the head,

"Night, little one."

Turning, she started for the door, calling back to him,

"Is the sitter even here yet?"

"Blue? Yeah, she's here! Now let's go!"

As she reached the door, she frowned as she thought she heard the sound of churning rock. The baby let out a shrill cry. As his screeching came to an abrupt stop, she spun around, her eyes wide as the statue of an angel stood over the empty crib. She let out a mournful wail, rushing to it quickly. The baby was gone. She heard more gravel grinding in her ears and took a deep breath, letting out a scream as she spun to see another angel looming behind her,

" _CHERRI-COLA!_ "

- _ **California - 1992 - April**_ _-_

"Look, Grandma Bev! It's your first great grand baby...!"

The blonde woman brought the tiny baby closer to her, letting her hold him in her arms. He was so small, no more that three months old at the most. Her husband smiled proudly down at the bundle, putting his arm around his wife,

"We're having trouble thinking of a name for him...we were hoping, maybe, you could help us with that?"

The elderly woman smiled as the baby gazed up at her and she swallowed hard, tears coming to her eyes. He looked just like _her_ son had at that age...but how was that possible?  
_"'Actually...he hasn't even been born, yet.'"_

A tear slid down her cheek as she remembered the Doctor's words from that cold, December day and a soft chuckle escaped her,

"Could it be...? Is that...is that you...?"

_**"Michael?"** _

_**-END-** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading! I hope you liked the story!  
> Till we meet again!
> 
> -ZTX (clashingplaids.tumblr.com)


	15. Chapter 15

 

**Three Months Later...**

_**STATIC.** _

_**"A-ny of my motor-there this fine evening? -lo? I need to speak with a certain-fiery-Murder Wizard. Hello-? The Doctor is making a house call-"** _

Quickly rushing to the radio, Kobra Kid picked up the receiver his voice low,  
"Hey, D. What's goin' on?"  
 _ **"Well, if it isn't my snake in the grass. Kobra Kid, to what do I owe this pleasure?"**_  
"Listen, D," the blonde-haired man sighed deeply, scratching his head as he continued,  
"Whatever you need Poison for, it's gonna have to wait."  
 _ **"Oh, is it now,"**_ the DJ began, a grumble of aggravation to his voice,  
 _ **"And just what is so important that his Highness thinks he can blow me off?"**_  
Swallowing hard, Kobra Kid glanced back at the booth where the sleeping red head lay. He began to cough in his slumber, a few spots of red dribbling onto his chin. From another booth, Jet Star quickly got up, handkerchief in hand. He wiped the blood from Party Poison's chin and shot Kid a concerned look. The man swallowed hard,  
"He's...he's just having a rough night, D."  
 _ **"Mmm hmm. Well, I was hoping for all of you on this one."**_  
"This one," Kid frowned, watching as Jet dabbed the sweat from Poison's brow,  
"What one? What's up?"  
 _ **"A satellite fell...just off Route Guano. Was hoping you boys could check it out. Got some little motorbabies out there who are pretty spooked."**_  
Kid swallowed hard, folding his arms as he clicked the receiver,  
"Gee, I dunno, D...like I said, Poison's havin' a rough night. Maybe Jet and I could check it out for you?"  
 _ **"Yeah, I guess that'd be all right. Anyway, tell your King Killer that he needs to take it easy with those Bots. He'll gonna catch somethin' if he ain't careful."**_  
The station returned to static and with a deep sigh, Kid set the receiver back down on the radio. Turning to Jet Star, he folded his arms and shook his head,  
"We shoulda told him, Jet."  
"You know that's not what he'd want, Kid-"  
"Y'know, at this point, I don't really think I _care_ what he wants-"  
Their talk was interrupted by another coughing fit from Poison, one which ended much the same as the previous. Jet leaned down and wiped away the blood that now trickled from the man's nose, then sat back and shook his head,  
"I know...okay. I get it. You're angry. Kid, we _all_ are! But Poison...this is what he wants to do, okay? And we can't betray that!"  
With a snort, Kid turned away and placed his hands on the bar, bowing his head,  
"What he wants...that's always what it's about, isn't it?"  
"Kid-"  
"He's so fucking stubborn! If he'd just get his head out of his ass for one minute-"  
"Kid!"  
Spinning back around, he bit his lip, gazing Jet in the eyes. Jet Star sighed, shaking his head sadly,  
"I wanna save him, too...but you and I both know that there's nothing we can do."  
Kid nodded at that, shrugging as he bowed his head,  
"Yeah...yeah, I know."  
Pushing away from the bar, Kid grabbed a blanket from one of the nearby booths and headed toward them. Laying it across Poison, he stood back and nodded to the curly haired man beside him,  
"C'mon. Let's go check out that satellite."  
As they exited the building, they spotted Fun Ghoul tinkering under the hood of the Trans Am, Girl standing nearby. Clearing his throat, Kobra Kid nodded to them,  
"Hey listen, Ghoul, can I talk to you a sec?"  
Wiping his hands, he stepped away from the car and over toward them, keeping his voice low,  
"Hey, how's P? Is he doin' any better?"  
Kid swallowed hard and shook his head,  
"There's uh...there's blood, now. So, no. Not really."  
Fun Ghoul exhaled at that, running a hand through his hair as he shook his head,  
"What are we gonna do?"  
"Where gonna do...just what Poison _wants_ ," the blonde hissed through his teeth, glancing back at Jet,  
"Absolutely nothing."  
"But...when it happens...when he...what are we gonna tell the pipsqueak? It'll kill her."  
Jet Star nodded, glancing over the shorter man and at the tiny child behind him. She was playing with her robot toy, completely oblivious to the dark events that loomed on the horizon.  
"I'm sure Poison has something planned. We'll wait till he wakes up and see what he says..."  
"Anyway," Kid cleared his throat, shaking his head as he glanced at the pair of bikes a few feet away,  
"D asked us to head out to Route Guano. Says a satellite crashed and some kids got scared. He wants us to check it out."  
"All right," Ghoul stepped back over to the Trans Am and closed the hood,  
"I'll keep an eye on P. You guys go on."  
"Thanks, Ghoul."  
The pair started over to the bikes, Kobra Kid turning back one last tie as he grabbed his helmet from the seat,  
"Hey, Ghoul?"  
The dark-haired man straightened, slinging the towel in his hand over his shoulder as the blonde continued,  
"You take care of him, all right," Kid swallowed hard, his eyes beginning to well up,  
"Make sure he's comfortable."  
Ghoul bowed his head as he nodded, wiping his nose shortly,  
"Yeah, man. Of course I will."  
Starting the bikes, the pair turned and took off toward the deserted highway, and soon, disappeared over the horizon...

~ø~

Arriving at the crater sight, they cut the power from their bikes, Kid removing his helmet as he approached the crater,  
"Whoa..."  
Jet raised an eyebrow as he stepped up behind him,  
"Jesus...what is that thing?"  
Hearing a crunch in the dirt from behind them, the man spun quickly, eyes wide as he spotted a man in a white, BLInd issue suit. His mask had been removed, replaced by a silver apparatus. Raising a hand, he glared at them silently as more men in white suits came out of the wood work to surround them. Kid cursed as they grew closer, his eyes widening as what looked to be silvery bugs crawled out from their under their pants legs. One managed to find it's way onto Kid's leg and quickly scurried up his body. The blonde desperately tried to pry it off of him, only to be zapped repeatedly. Heart racing, he fell to his knees as the shocks intensified; glancing over at Jet to see that his fate was much the same. He let out a shout as it latched onto his face, zapping him with a high voltage of electricity.

The man in white continued to calmly stare.

_**"You will be upgraded."** _


End file.
